The team at Bloomsburg Veterinary Hospital, Inc. of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, has such determination to continually pursue excellence in their practice that Dr. Marty Becker exclaimed, “They’re as rare as jackalopes.”
What makes the Bloomsburg team so successful? In short, they utilize the power of teamwork and effective communication, both with their veterinary clients and among themselves.
The impact made in the lives of pets and their owners begins with clear goals set from the top down. The goals create a cohesive mission for the entire team. An integral part of the hospital’s mission, messaging, and staff training is Fear Free certification and implementation.
“It is a passion of the Bloomsburg Veterinary Hospital practice owners to give the very best quality medicine and care to our clients and patients,” says Krystal Borich, hospital administrator for Bloomsburg Veterinary Hospital, Inc. “Our entire staff is required to complete the Fear Free modules as part of their training here at BVH.”
When it comes to implementation of Fear Free, team members divvy up goals and messaging. Allowing each team member to emphasize a different aspect of Fear Free ensures that the team provides all encompassing Fear Free care without the process becoming overwhelming.
“We currently are having each of our team members implement a Fear Free goal,” Borych says. “There is so much to enact in the Fear Free modules that we thought it would be much easier if everyone on the team assisted in a way they felt important. It is the responsibility of each team member to research, create a protocol, and train their fellow teammates on their goals. This process has not only made the hospital a less stressful place for clients and patients but also less stressful for employees. With the proper training and follow-through by employees, they are able to enjoy what they love to do even more.”
Communicating the Fear Free mission to clients is also of paramount importance. Team members are given helpful messages to discuss with clients in terms of Fear Free’s goals to decrease the negatives and increase the positives of their pet’s experience at the vet. The hospital environment is filled with Fear Free messaging to keep clients and the veterinary team working diligently toward the common goal of making the veterinary experience as free of fear and full of fun as possible for the pet.
One team member’s focus for Fear Free is communication cohesion with the hospital and clients. Her efforts have successfully integrated important messaging from the moment the client steps through the hospital doors to the time their pet is seen in the exam room for care. In the client waiting area a bulletin board describes various key principles of Fear Free. The waiting area display coincides with smaller bulletin boards with complimentary messages featured in each exam room.
“Her plan for 2017 is to have a series of three bulletin boards,” Borych says. “The first was about Fear Free and what it is. The second will be what clients can do at home to prepare for a stress-free visit at our hospital. The last set will be what we are implementing at the hospital to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress during the visit at the hospital.”
The environmental improvements don’t stop there. The hospital caters to cats by playing cat-specific calming music in each of the feline exam rooms and by creating separate species-specific waiting areas for dogs and cats.
“We utilize Feliway and Adaptil diffusers in our exam rooms and kennels,” Borych says. “Every canine patient receives a ribbon with Adaptil Spray at check-in to tie on their collar, and every feline patient receives a towel with Feliway Spray to drape over their carrier at check-in.”
The team’s Fear Free efforts begin before the patient and client even arrive for care. The hospital staff works to prepare the owner before their pet’s visit by providing specific strategies to bring their pet to the vet in a relaxed state. Five days before the appointment the client is emailed a pre-appointment handout. The handout is packed with helpful Fear Free strategies to ready the pet for the visit and answers commonly asked questions. The veterinary team also partners with the pet owner prior to the visit by prescribing pre-visit medications such as trazodone and gabapentin to alleviate excess stress when needed.
During care a wide assortment of treats and toy options are available to satisfy the varying tastes of each pet. Favorites include lean lunchmeat, peanut butter, frozen chicken broth and Pupperoni dog treats. To complete the experience the team is creating a unique Fear Free report card for each pet to send home with clients after the Fear Free vet visit.
The Bloomsburg team’s efforts are paying off.
“Clients that have patients that are fearful or stressed while at the veterinary hospital appreciate all the effort we are making to help their pets and themselves feel more safe and comfortable during each and every visit,” says Borych.
The results are undeniable when it comes to being able to provide care for more challenging pets who in the past would struggle to get away during care.
“We have seen patients that have cautions or warnings on their patient files, where the veterinarians and staff have been able to give a full physical exam and keep the patient less stressed, fearful, or anxious,” says Borych.
The Fear Free commitment has provided ongoing reassurance to the Bloomsburg team that they’re doing the best for their clients and patients: worthy goals with lasting value.
