If you're reading this, you're in for a treat! You're actually reading the first of many blogs about the Veterinary Institute of Paducah or VIP! Historically, I never intended to open my own veterinary practice because I didn't want the headache of practice ownership and management. However, times change and I ended up learning I'd rather work for myself and deal with my own problems, than work for someone else and deal with their problems. There will always be problems, just different shapes and forms.
Over the last several months, I have been slowly but steadily working towards organizing, developing, and building the newest veterinary practice in town. There is so much to do, and lots of time needed to do what needs to be done, but really, the vast majority of the time is spent waiting. This person and that person has to talk to their "people" on top of vacations and office closures which all adds up to bottlenecks in my ability to start actually seeing patients! As of today, I am VERY close to securing a lease space where I can start practicing much sooner than If I waited for the construction of the permanent facility on Bleich Road to be completed. Who knew adequate lease spaces were so few in Paducah!?
Until the doors do open, I am seeing some limited appointments out of my home. It is not ideal, and services offered are limited, but if you need me, just send me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do!
My vision for the future of VIP is very large and full of hopes and dreams that will be an undertaking to achieve, to say the least. I do want to let everyone know, clients and potential employees alike, things will be different at VIP. First, I believe there is a huge shortage of all skilled workers in the veterinary support staff positions throughout the industry. These guys are burned-out from working long hours for extremely low pay, and then given a lack of concern about anything but them being on time for their next shift. This is a huge problem for me. VIP and Dr. Jones PLEDGE to reduce the disparity between veterinarian and veterinary staff (nurses, assistants, kennel workers, customer service reps/front desk) annual incomes. Small animal veterinary work is hard, smelly, hot, gross, and intense and even more so for veterinary support staff. Working that kind of job with hard physical and mental labor must be compensated appropriately to keep, train, and retain stellar employees. VIP will expect top notch performance from all employees but will go above and beyond the industry standard to compensate them for their efforts. There has to be a middle ground between employees living paycheck to paycheck and not being able to afford simple dental work and the owners and/or veterinarians who have 4 weeks of paid vacation and each is used to travel to four different destinations by airplane. VIP wants ALL employees to utilize and benefit from the business professionally and personally: it is an inanimate entity and is only worth the value of the people inside. VIP will be a tool for the whole team to provide excellent veterinary care so they are able to live a fruitful, plentiful, and financially stable lives outside of work. VIP will develop a profit sharing plan for all permanent employees and associates so EVERYONE who contributed to the success of the business is rewarded when their efforts keep the business healthy. VIP also plans to institute health care coverage and a basic retirement plan in 1-2 years after the first year of volatile income and expenses has settled down and flow of income and expenses are more predictable. Permanent employees of VIP will also receive regular cost-of-living wage increases to keep salaries up with inflation. Furthermore, VIP plans to have significant paid vacation time for all permanent employees starting after year 1. VIP also plans to have a business wide, collective decision making group for maintaining adequate staffing but also fiercely guarding employees scheduled time off, not contacting employees during off hours, and eliminating the sense of being perpetually "on-call" on scheduled days off to cover other shifts. This team will have a big task on their hands but should help draw a firmer barrier between everyone's work and personal lives.
So, that is all great news for potential employees...but what about VIP's clients!? My vision is that financially stable employees who like coming to work, have a stable life outside of work, and don't have to live from paycheck to paycheck are more likely to perform at a higher level, provide consistent care and experiences with clients, and consistently elevate the client/animal experience at VIP. While educated veterinary nurses fresh out of school have tons of knowledge, they need many months or years of real world experiences to round out their abilities when they actually start working. Even newly hired nurses and assistants that have years of experience also have lots to learn at any new veterinary facility where they are newly employed. As a client of VIP, part of our mission is to keep your experience elevated but also consistent. If we're training new employees every other week and this one or that one missed this part of training, or hasn't finished their computer skills, or can't answer basic veterinary questions, the client experience certainly won't be consistent, will not even have a chance to be elevated, and will likely be lacking. Once VIP is running like a well oiled machine, the client experience will be amazing. Efficiency and communication are key. Our prices will certainly be competitive but maybe marginally higher than some of our competitors. But really it all boils down to this: You can either be the cheapest or the best, but not both. VIP strives to be the best. I feel this quote from one of my professors from veterinary school is a good insight in regards to the elevated level of care VIP is committed to providing:
"If you wouldn't dream of shopping for the cheapest surgeon or doctor for yourself or child, why would you for your dog or cat?"
In closing, hopefully I gave you a little insight about my basic business philosophy and the culture I want to cultivate at VIP along with a hint of how awesome VIP is going to be to work and visit! Work hard and play hard is our unspoken motto and we plan to do a lot of both! Take care...hopefully my next blog post is sooner rather than later!
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