• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Ask Shawn: Am I a hospital administrator or a custodian?

June 1, 2014
Shawn G. McVey, MA, MSW

Shawn McVey offers advice for a veterinary hospital manager struggling to define her job duties.

I'm the hospital administrator for a large emergency and specialty group with two locations. In the first week I arrived I had no desk, no office, no supplies and 99 percent of the 100 employees didn’t know who I was, that I was hired or what my job was. I almost quit immediately. Jump ahead to the present and I’m still struggling to define my role and my responsibilities.

For example, last week a pet pooped in the lobby. The front end team mopped it up and put the mop back in the bucket. Yesterday one of the owners asked if I had a policy on poop bucket water. He said it’s my job to know everything that goes on. This is a massive building. I walk around a lot but I can’t see everything. What do you think I should be responsible for, considering I have several managers who work for the practice? —POOPED

Shawn McVey, MA, MSW

DEAR POOP IN THE LOBBY:

Advertisement

Wow and double wow. I had a sense of déjà vu when I read this, as my first position and first day as a specialty administrator was similar. The good news is they were warm and receptive after they figured out who I was. Your questions are many and this topic could be covered by an entire day of lectures. But you face a real challenge, and it’s one that many administrators and managers face: What’s my job description?

While your owner may be contextually correct that you are ultimately responsible for knowing policies, it’s not black and white. And he should certainly be more empathetic about how and when he communicated this to you.

In general a hospital administrator oversees all operations of the hospital but is responsible for the performance of operations managers. Your job is to implement a strategic plan, guide the business to good performance via a budget and revenue growth and make the owners’ business plans come to fruition. You can’t do this without a solid plan and an understanding of what issues you need to address and in what priority. It’s your job to tell the owners that they need to provide you with resources to do your job. Those resources are a plan, funds to implement it and a vision to guide you. A leader pushes change, manages culture and keeps the emotional tone of the practice positive. A manager directs, maintains the status quo and is goal-oriented.

Sit the owners down and tell them you need their support and a vision and a plan or this isn’t going to work. I suggest an outside consultant to help with the creation and implementation and to facilitate difficult communication.—SHAWN

Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, is a member of the Firstline and Veterinary Economics editorial advisory boards and is CEO of McVey Management Solutions in Austin, Texas. For videos and articles containing more of McVey's tips and tricks on issues relating to veterinary personnel management, conflict, and communication, visit dvm360.com/mcvey.

Related Content:

RolesPractice Manager
I graduated veterinary school in 2023: Here are my takeaways
I graduated veterinary school in 2023: Here are my takeaways
Amplifying Advocacy: A veterinary student's journey in addressing pressing issues in the veterinary industry
Amplifying Advocacy: A veterinary student's journey in addressing pressing issues in the veterinary industry
Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine names founding dean
Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine names founding dean

Advertisement

Latest News

Potential blood transfusion may offer lion chance of survival

Keeping pets safe from wildfire smoke

New report links pet ownership with human health care savings

UC Davis corrects horse’s irregular heartbeat with electrical shock procedure

View More Latest News
Advertisement