What kind of chemistry do you need between team members in order to make a solo ambulatory practice successful? (Sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health)

With a mobile practice, the practitioner rides with the assistant all day long. Good personal relationships, especially in a small vehicle, are paramount. Being a good conversationalist is a plus, but not required. Both the practitioner and the assistant should be willing to learn from each other, too. When my assistant first started, the only thing she knew about computers was how to turn them on. Seven years later, I’m asking her how to do things on the computer.

Team members should enjoy their jobs and representing the practice. They must also possess good communication skills and have bare-bones honesty. You want your clients to trust everyone working with you, because they interact with them almost as much as they do with you.

You also want your assistants to be versatile. Between calls, the assistant typically answers the phone, schedules appointments, opens the mail, and logs information into the computer. Someone who does all this and has a good attitude is the person you want in the truck with you.

John B. Gifford, DVM

Western Reserve Veterinary Service, LLC

Medina, Ohio