Client Care Representative

Client Care
Representative

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TRAINING MANUAL INFORMATION

READ FIRST

We hope your purpose for studying this manual is to be as effective as possible at your job. In
any group it is essential for the team players to know what the other person is doing and to have
in writing the administrative aspects of all positions.
Our reason for giving you this training manual is threefold. One, so you have the procedures in
writing on how to do your job. Two, so you can refer back to the written material as needed to
correct or add to any of the exam questions since we only accept 100%. Three, so you have the
written procedures as reference in the future as a review. We do not expect you to memorize all
the procedures relating to your job. But we do expect you to refer back to the appropriate written
material and review them on your own as well as with your supervisor.
The result of having studied this manual should be the ability to know the procedures about your
job extremely well. This doesn’t mean you are fully apprenticed, that will follow once you have
successfully completed this manual and all the procedures and tests contained herein. Thank you
for your cooperation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

JOB RESPONSIBILITY ..............................................................................................................................5
VALUABLE FINAL PRODUCT.................................................................................................................6
CLIENT RAPPORT .....................................................................................................................................7
KEEPING SCHEDULE ON TIME .............................................................................................................8
COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................................................................9
ANSWERING THE PHONE .....................................................................................................................10
TAKING MESSAGES ................................................................................................................................11
EMAIL .........................................................................................................................................................13
FAXING .......................................................................................................................................................14
SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT.......................................................................................................15
SCHEDULING AN EMERGENCY ..........................................................................................................17
DOUBLE BOOKING..................................................................................................................................18
CLIENT ON CALL COLUMN..................................................................................................................20
NO SHOW APPOINTMENTS...................................................................................................................21
CONFIRMATION CALLS ........................................................................................................................22
DIAGNOSTIC CALLS ...............................................................................................................................23
ACTIVATION CALLS...............................................................................................................................25
ENTERING NEW CLIENT INFORMATION INTO COMPUTER .....................................................28
ENTERING NEW PATIENT INFORMATION INTO COMPUTER...................................................29
NEW CLIENT CALL-IN DIALOGUE.....................................................................................................30
NEW CLIENT BUILDER ..........................................................................................................................33
HANDLING THE NEW CLIENT .............................................................................................................36
NEW CLIENT RECORD GATHERING .................................................................................................37
NEW CLIENT WALK-IN DIALOGUE ...................................................................................................39
NEW CLIENT FORM ................................................................................................................................40
SCANNING..................................................................................................................................................42

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CONDO CARDS AND COLLARS............................................................................................................44
HANDLING THE ESTABLISHED CLIENT ..........................................................................................45
DROP OFF APPOINTMENTS..................................................................................................................46
CLIENT MAIL RETURNED WITH NO FORWARDING ADDRESS ................................................47
CLIENT CHECK-IN ..................................................................................................................................48
CLIENT CHECK-OUT ..............................................................................................................................50
CARE CREDIT ...........................................................................................................................................51
PAYMENT BANC.......................................................................................................................................52
ACCEPTING CHECKS .............................................................................................................................53
RABIES OBSERVATION FORMS ..........................................................................................................54
HEALTH CERTIFICATES .......................................................................................................................56
ENCOURAGING CLIENT REFERRALS AND REVIEWS..................................................................57
ENCOURAGING USE OF THE APP.......................................................................................................58
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS ........................................................................................................................59
WRITTEN PRESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................................................................61
FAILED PRESCRIPTION PICK UPS .....................................................................................................63
HEARTGARD/NEXGARD REBATES ....................................................................................................64
ORAVET SAMPLE FOLLOW UP ...........................................................................................................65
SUBPRODUCT BONUS STRUCTURE ...................................................................................................66
FOOD/RX ARRIVAL NOTIFICATION ..................................................................................................69
CLIENT CARE REPRESENTATIVE WEEKLY CHECKLISTERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
FINAL EXAM .............................................................................................................................................75
APPRENTICESHIP CHECKLIST ...........................................................................................................77

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

JOB RESPONSIBILITY Policy # R-01

1) Professionally greet all clients whether on the phone or in person.

2) Ensure all forms are properly filled out and direct clients to the treatment area as
quickly as possible.

3) Effectively receive and route all communications to the staff and veterinarian.

4) Attend to client needs in a professional and caring manner.

5) Convert client concerns into appointments.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

VALUABLE FINAL PRODUCT Policy # R-02

The Valuable Final Product of a Client Care Representative is as follows:

A fully booked doctor’s schedule with highly satisfied clients who are keeping their
appointments.

Every Client Care Representative must know this when asked and each individual in this
position will go through the entire Hatting Manual that explains this Valuable Final
Product in detail long with the subproducts pertaining to it.

Client Care Representatives must fulfill this product on a daily basis through various day
to day tasks.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CLIENT RAPPORT Policy # R-03

As you get familiar with the clients, you will know a little more about them and will be
able to talk to them about their interests, etc. This is very important. Make a point to greet
not only the client, but their pet also. If you notice the pet has grown or has a new collar,
make a comment. Remember, most clients consider their pet as a member of the family,
and are always willing to talk about them.

If you don't remember anything about the client or pet, ask if anyone else does. If not, look
at his Front Sheet as this will give you some basic data on the pet. For instance, if the front
sheet shows that pet has a birthday coming soon, you can mention that. Be creative! If you
are really interested, there's almost always something that you can find in common with
anyone.

We are here to deliver quality veterinary care in a very friendly and caring atmosphere.
Friendly and caring means being honestly interested in our clients, and their pets, and
communicating that interest. It does not mean telling the clients about you and your
personal life. It’s all about the client not about US. US can be discussed after hours when
our work is done. Thank you for understanding this very important part of the key to a
successful practice.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

KEEPING SCHEDULE ON TIME Policy # R-04

As Client Care Representative, it is your responsibility to make sure that clients are arriving
and being seen on time.

To do this, you must have the cooperation of the clinical staff, as well as good
organizational skills. As soon as a client arrives, assure that you have everything needed
for the appointment, and, place them in a room if possible. Make sure to fill out the
whiteboard on the room door. At approximately 5 minutes past the appointment time, if
the client is still in the reception area, the Client Care Representative is to find out from the
doctor or technician how long they think they will be.

At this point, the Client Care Representative will explain to the waiting client why we are
running behind and give an approximation of how much longer it will be without giving an
exact time. This may sound difficult but let us give you an example:

“Thank you so much for your patience, Mrs. Smith. We’ve had a bit of an emergency come
in but we should be able to see Fluffy still, it shouldn’t be too much longer. In the
meantime, can I get you a coffee or water?”

For Emergencies that are going to take a long time, it is okay to ask to reschedule:

“We really appreciate your patience. We actually had an emergency walk through our
doors and it does not look so good. Would you mind rescheduling your appointment today?
I know it’s a bit to ask but I’m sure the pet parents of the emergency would really
appreciate it and that way you don’t wait here for hours since I know your time is valuable
as well. As a thank you for your understanding, we can offer an extra 50 rewards points on
our app!”

Make sure to smile as you talk and try to avoid the usual “So sorry for the wait.” That is a
negative statement that will immediately place that notion into their brain. The client may
not even feel like it has been a wait but wait, now that you mention it maybe it has been a
long time right? Always make them the hero, help them feel good about the fact that
they’re being so patient.

The Client Care Representative will find out, at this time, what help is needed to get the
clinical staff back on schedule. The Client Care Representative will then inform the team
so the available and appropriate staff member can provide needed assistance. It is always
better to originate communication to the client as opposed to “avoiding” telling the client
we are running behind. Don’t be shy or nervous about telling the client; just tell them with
a smile and a genuine concern for their time.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

COMMUNICATION Policy # R-05

Swift and accurate communication is imperative in our office and the Client Care
Representative has a major part in this responsibility.

The telephone must never ring more than three times before being answered. If you are on
another line or otherwise engaged, the _________________________________ will help
answer the phone.

Before passing a call to the appropriate person, get the person's name, reason for calling
and the phone numbers (home/work). If the call is from an active client, pull the client’s
chart before passing the call.

If it is a new client, and they need an appointment that day, check the day’s schedule, find
a time that you can get them in, and ask them to come in a few minutes early to fill out the
forms we need. The information you absolutely need to get at this time is the Clients name,
the Pets name, and an address and phone number. It is very important that you find out if
the pet has been vaccinated for Rabies. You will get the other information needed when the
client comes in for the appointment. Since the Client Care Representative does all the
scheduling, it is your responsibility to ensure our appointment book is effectively
scheduled. If you get tied up on the phone taking new client information you won’t be able
to efficiently deal with other calls and clients coming in to the practice.

The Client Care Representative is the coordinator between the front and back office and
therefore must be very exact in what is relayed. The best method for relaying messages is
to put them in writing.

Always be aware of the schedule. Know which clients will be arriving next, who is in the
waiting room, who is in the back, how long they have been here, etc. If you spot a
problem, tell someone who can handle it immediately.

It is only with this high awareness of the schedule and what is happening in the office that
we can deliver high quality veterinary care, swiftly and efficiently.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

ANSWERING THE PHONE Policy # R-06

Answering the phone in a timely manner is essential to our practice as an animal may be
in trouble. For this reason, every phone call should by the second ring.

1. To answer to phone, use this introduction:
 “Thank you for calling Animal Hospital of Lake Villa, this is
_______. Is this an emergency or may I place you on a brief
hold?”

2. If you are not with a client directly in front of you, you do not need to
place them on hold. Never place a client on hold for your own personal
reasons, ONLY if there is another client directly in front of you. If there
was no client directly in front you, then use this greeting:
 “Thank you for calling Animal Hospital of Lake Villa. This is
________. How may I help you?”

3. Probe with questions in order to get as much information on the issue as
possible (client name, patient name, reason for call, etc.)

4. Asking for more specific information will allow everybody to be better
prepared for the appointment and lets things run more smoothly.

5. Every phone call should be turned in to an appointment as best as possible.
In other words, if a client calls saying, “My dog has had diarrhea for a
couple of days, should I bring him in?” your answer should always be
yes. If a client is hesitant, explain that the sooner we get them soon the
easier it is to treat. Diarrhea/vomiting could lead to dehydration which
would then require fluids making the visit at a later time more costly for
the client and more stressful for the patient.

6. For a New Client or a Price Shopper (Prospective Client) see page 30 to
learn the dialogue and how to handle the call.

7. To take a message, see page 11 for more instruction.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

TAKING MESSAGES Policy # R-07

As a Client Care Representative, it will be your responsibility to route all messages
appropriately. Any client calling for medical advice or a non –ongoing prescription should
be converted into an appointment. For example, if a client calls stating that his dog has
been vomiting and would like to know if he should try a different food, it needs to be made
into an appointment. It is vital to understand that not only does giving advice without a
medical exam put the entire hospital including doctors in a liability but it is also not the
best way to practice medicine.

Some questions may require a message for the doctor still. For example, say a client
brought in her dog for an exam and the doctor had mentioned cleaning the ears for a
solution. After you’ve checked the exam for these notes, and verified that it was not made,
you should leave a message for the doctor who perfomed that exam. This is how you do
that:

• Taking a message for the Doctor
1. When a client calls asking to leave a message for a Dr., we put each
message into the Toolbox. You will first need to open the patient
clipboard for the corresponding client.
2. You will need to open the “Reminders” tab and right click update.
3. You will need to click over on the “Call Backs” tab and enter the code
“CALL” and then enter the corresponding Dr. under “Staff ID” and then
click open.
4. Enter your initials and leave message as “open” and type the clients
question there and then click “OK”
5. Then open up the patient clipboard, right click patient name and click
“Medical Quick Note” and copy and paste the same message you left in
the “Call Back” tab and finalize that message. This is in order to document
in Cornerstone you left a message in case your message gets deleted. It is
also policy to make sure that all the medical information can be found
under the Medical Notes in the patient file.
 Don’t forget to title the note something relevant to the message so
that it is easier to find.
 All notes must be finalized so that any changes to it are
documented. To do this, you will go to the top right corner, select
the drop down from “tentative” and change to “finalized.
 Each Dr. will respond to their callbacks throughout the day, the Dr
will open the callback note and enter his response and forward the
message either to an Assistant or back to the CCR tab in the
toolbox.

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 To read responses to callbacks, open toolbox, select the “call
backs” tab and type REC and read responses to see next steps, then
change note to “Complete” to complete this note.

 The medical quick note must be updated with the answer. This
way, if the client has to call back for more information or did not
receive the message, another staff member can easily relay the
doctor’s advice over to the client.

• Taking a message for a Veterinary Assistant – Messages asking for medical
advice will always go to a Veterinarian, not a Veterinary Assistant. However,
sometimes a client is returning a call or simply wants an estimate. This is how you
do that:
1. When a client calls asking to leave a message for a Veterinary Assistant,
we put each message into the Toolbox. You will first need to open the
patient clipboard for the corresponding client.
2. You will need to open the “Reminders” tab and right click update.
3. You will need to click over on the “Call Backs” tab and enter the code
“CALL” and then enter VAS under “Staff ID” and then click open.
4. Enter your initials and leave message as “open” and type the clients
question there and then click “OK”
5. If the message is pertaining any medical information that should be
recorded in the medical notes, please be sure to leave medical quick note.
However, if they are simply requesting an estimate, there is no need to
make a medical quick note for it.

• Taking a message for another staff member – Sometimes you will find that a
client has left a message for a specific team member. This is especially true for
the Executive Strata.
1. This is the same procedure as taking one for the doctor or a veterinary
assistant, except that instead of scheduling it for the corresponding doctor,
you will use the staff member’s initials.
 All staff members are required to check their call backs tab daily to
ensure that all clients’ needs have been met.
2. If a product representative or a non-client would like to leave a message
for a staff member, write message on the message pad and stick the
message on an Executive’s board or near a staff member’s desk.
3. Sticky notes should not be used for any messages. If for some reason, the
message doesn’t get to get to the recipient, you have carbon copy of the
message.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

EMAIL Policy # R-08

• How to open the hospitals email

• Open Chrome, it should open automatically. If not open a Gmail login, and
enter the information for the hospital’s email. You should be able to find a
few cheat sheets at the desk.

• If a message needs to take for the doctor, remember to follow the steps as
before. Put the message in the Dr.’s toolbox and remember to create a medical
quick note.

• Email should be checked periodically throughout the day. Every half hour to
an hour someone should be checking through the email.

• How to respond to email.

• Answer their question or solve their issue to the best of your ability and do so
in the politest manner you can. Remember that tone is hard to convey through
text/email so try to be extra friendly and polite.

• Sign your name at the bottom, it makes the email feel more personal and
allows the client to know who is talking to them and to also create a
relationship with the clients.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

FAXING Policy # R-09

Faxing is just another way of communication whether it be from hospital to hospital,
from the client, from the lab or from outside pharmacies.

a. Other clinics call and ask us to transfer records by fax/email and also some
pharmacies ask for us to fax a written prescription.
1. The policy on written prescriptions is found on pg. 60

b. To fax a patient record, follow these steps.
1. open up the desired patient clipboard and on the bottom left
hand click print and deselect Billing, Callbacks, Check in,
declined history, departing instructions, estimates, and all 3
PVL
2. Then once everything loads click print then change printer
to cornerstone PDF then lastname-patientname under
ZScan
3. Open Ring Central
4. Click the bottom left button to create a new message
5. Enter fax number
6. Click paperclip and attach document from the ZScan
7. Send

c. To receive faxes from the lab, follow these steps.
1. Open Ring Central and select the fax.
2. If it’s from the lab, it will transfer into the file
automatically.
3. If it is a negative heartworm test, or fecal then you do not
have to schedule a call back. See pg. for how to complete
diagnostic calls.
4. If it is a lab work that is more extensive, you will need to
schedule a call back for the doctor.
5. Open the patient clipboard of the patient in the document.
6. Double click on the patient reminders and select the call
back tab.
7. Double click on the top white box and select the item
“Client Call” and put the corresponding doctor (the doctor
in charge of the case) in the box to the right.
8. Open the call back box by selecting the gray box to the
right.
9. Enter YOUR initials and then write the note stating what
type of lab report has come back.

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ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT Policy # R-10

Scheduling appointments is a vital task of all Client Care Representatives and a direct
statistic of the Valuable Final Product. It is important that as a Client Care
Representative, you control the schedule for the best possible flow of the practice.

On non all surgery days, morning appointments can only be scheduled up to 9:20 am.
The slots between 9:20 am to noon can only be scheduled for surgery. If the surgery slots
have not been filled by 3pm the day prior, then you may start filling the morning with
appointments.

Euthanasia appointments can squeezed in wherever the client wants except if the doctor
is in surgery.

1. Take control of the conversation by being the one asking the questions.
Ask for client name and patient name first so that you can start pulling up
the file while they’re explaining the situation.

2. When offering times, offer ONLY 2 times at once. More will confuse
them, and one is not enough. You can say something like “I have as early
at 9:00am or as late as 4:00pm” and go from there working with them to
find a time that works. This helps keep you in control of the conversation
over the client.

3. Open calendar, right click or double click at the desired time of
appointment.
 Keep an eye on everything regarding the schedule.
 Try to stagger all appointments (especially on double doctor dates
and include Veteirnary Assistant appointments) so that all clients
aren’t checking in at the same time. This will save you a lot of time
and effort.

4. Double click on the empty client box at the top and select the client, and
do the same with the patient

5. Select which appointment it would fall under (Wellness, professional,
ADR, etc.)

6. Write the primary reason for the visit in the “secondary” section. For
example, if a client is making an appointment for discharge from eyes in
the secondary write “eyes.”

7. Write any notes from client in the notes section in order to recall the most
information as possible at time of appointment. When it started, any meds
to pick up, nail trims, etc.

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Exam Type Time Appointments
Wellness (Plus) (minutes) Reason for appointment
Wellness 30
Yearly checkup exam, vaccines, testing, (“Plus” any
30 other issue)
Yearly exam with vaccines

Professional 30 Lumps (isolated)
Anal glands abscess
Professional/ADR 30 Broken/torn nail
Eyes
Rechecks 20 Back/spine
Limping
Radiographs 30
Emergency 30 Vomiting/Diarrhea
Derm 30 Not eating
Bloated
Euthanasia 30 Lethargic
New Client 30 Not walking
Urine issues
Technician exam 10
Recheck previously seen condition
Puppy/Kitten Exam 30 Recheck after ER
Recheck after surgery

X-Rays

Skin
Rash
Lots of lumps

Any exam, label what exam it would be in notes

Vaccine boosters (excluding rabies)
Nail trims
Anal glands expressed
Sanitary shaves

New puppy or kitten exams/rechecks
First visit & rabies must be with Dr.
Other vaccine boosters can be with techs

Exotic Exam 1 hour Exotic Animals

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

16

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Policy # R-11 Revised:

SCHEDULING AN EMERGENCY

The phone may lead you in a number of different directions. Business calls should be
forwarded to the appropriate staff member (questions regarding insurance, accounts,
collections would go to the Accounts/Office Manager, etc).

When a patient calls the office with an emergency, you will need to fill out an Emergency,
it is important to gather as much information as possible. Here is the standard procedure for
scheduling an appointment:

1) Open the patient clipboard, and schedule the emergency for the time that the client
will be arriving.
a. If it is a new client, you will need to gather all the client information prior to
the arrival and still compete the protocol for the New Client Form.
Remember that this form is an important legal document.

2) Put as much information as possible in the notes section of the appointment.
a. If the emergency is relating to an animal to animal bite, you will need to
start a rabies observation form and a bite report.

3) Notify the Director of Medical Services right away of the circumstances so that
he/she may begin the preperations.

4) Right click on the patient in the top right corner box and select “correspondence”
5) Select the “Emergency Form” from the correspondence.
6) The form will have important information and grant us consent to move forward as

well and consent to resuscitate if necessary.
7) Once the client has arrived, notify the Director of Medical Services, they will

proceed the evaluation and the treatment.
8) Pull the client away from the emergency procedure, offer water and let him/her

know that you need to gather more information. Do your best to console the client,
he/she has been through quite an experience.
9) Have the client read and sign the consent form from step 4.
10) Once a treatment plan has been decided upon (even if that is emergency surgery)
get together with a Veterinary Assistant in charge of the case and begin creating an
estimate for the client.
11) If the emergency will be taking more than 30 minutes, start looking at the schedule
for appointments that can be rescheduled. Most clients are very understanding of
emergencies and will typically be okay rescheduling.
12) Let every client waiting for that particular doctor in the lobby know that an
emergency has come in. Apologize for the inconvenience, again, most clients are
very understanding.

17

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

DOUBLE BOOKING Policy # R-12

Double booking appointments can be tricky as if we overbook the schedule, you will find
a lot of angry clients having to wait. That is unacceptable. It is also unacceptable to push
off a patient that needs to be seen right away. Use this list to help guide you on when it is
acceptable to double book an appointment.

This is the list of acceptable emergencies that we can be double/triple booked for:

• Bleeding - Not from toe nail. Can bandage or put sock on to control bleeding.
• Bloat-Larger breed dogs(normally over 35#), distended abdomen, trouble

breathing, gagging, weird sound like an elephant moan, vomiting.
• HBC (Hit by car)
• Lateral recumbence (laying on side unable to move)
• Dog fights (that happened that day)
• Deep lacerations (That recently happened, not a week out)
• Unconsciousness
• Seizures (That are happening same day, not a few days ago)
• Grand Mal seizures
• Collapse
• Breathing Issues (Hard time breathing)
• Heat Stroke
• Eating things that the animal shouldn't, possible blockage
• Not eating for 2 days.
• Not drinking for 1 day
• Broken bones (Not toe nail)
• Not urinating (Make sure they are really not urinating)
• Vomiting (more than 2x that day)
• Ingesting any poisons.
If people are calling saying that it is an emergency and it is not on this list. Please, be
sympathetic with the client and if we don't have the space let them know the we are
booked up and give them the next available day and time.

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When a client calls saying that their pet is vomiting, having diarrhea, has an open wound,
or is lethargic you are to get them in that day. If we are booked, see if the client can do a
drop. If they can’t, squeeze them in and politely let them know that they are being
squeezed in. For more information on our Drop Off policy, please see page.

If the patient is not having an emergency but wants to be seen that day, there are three
options for him/her.

1) Let t hem know that you can place them on the “On Call” list. If there are any
cancellations for that day, they will be called right away to come in in order.
There will be a special note placed in the schedule that will alert all the Client
Care Representatives to give that person a call. For more information about
how to use the “On Call” List, please see page.

2) Schedule them in as an “Emergency Visit” so that they can be seen today.
Kindly explain to them that we are over booked for the day and can only see
the appointment if it is an emergency visit and if it is not an immediate
emergency, there may be some wait time. Emergency visits typically cost
more because it often times means we have to leave a client waiting to fit
them in, which could cause us to lose that client. It is still a cheaper fee than
going to the Premier Veterinary Group (Emergency Room) which would be
their third option.

3) The third option is referring them to Premier Veterinary Group which is the
local emergency room. The emergency room has a capacity to see these
appointments and all the tools necessary for treatment. Sometimes, that may
be the only option if we are already double booked with emergencies. Kindly
explain to the client that we would be putting a beloved pet at risk by
attempting to take on too many emergencies at a time and that if we could at
all see the patient, we would.

19

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CLIENT ON CALL COLUMN Policy # R-13

The Client On Call column is a very useful tool for all Client Care Representatives that
when used appropriately can help deliver the Valuable Final Product. Essentially, it is a
column in the schedule that has a list of clients available to come in for that very day. It is
used when our schedule has already been booked for the day and the client wants to come
in (wants to which does not mean needs to ). Here is how to use the client “On Call”
column in Cornerstone:

1. Communicate the meaning of the On Call list and let them know that if we call
them, and they do not answer or call us back for an appointment, we will call the
next name/number on the on call list.

2. Over to the right, under the “Notes/Call backs” column, right click and select the
option “block” to start.

3. In the note, write down the following information:
a. Client and Patient name
b. Reason for visit
c. Phone number where they prefer to be reached

4. Make sure that the on call list is placed in order of first come, first serve.
5. When a last minute cancellation has occurred, it is you responsibility to start

calling in order, those clients and offering them the available time slot.

20

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NO SHOW APPOINTMENTS Policy # R-14

The purpose of this protocol is to ensure that our schedule stays booked at all times and
that we have the availability we need to best help our patients. A no show appointment
consists of someone who scheduled an appointment, took up an appointment slot and
then failed to show up without calling in advanced (at least 30 minutes prior to
appointment). When this happens, a patient that needed to come in that day but had to
wait, went on longer than needed to be due to this no show appointment. This no show
also affects our own production numbers which can lead to emergency situations. This
protocol will helps to reduce the amount of clients that don’t show up and help us keep
track of those that do.

The policy for now show appointments is as follows: Two no show appointments results
in a required non-refundable deposit that is the cost of the exam or 50% of the procedure
that was missed. This deposit must be paid over the phone before the appointment slot
can be reserved for that client. If the client shows up for that appointment, then the
deposit will just go towards the total cost of the appointment or surgery. Failure to show
up on that third appointment will result in payment of the deposit, without a refund and
inability to schedule a fourth appointment.

When a client failed to show up to their appointment, you will keep the appointment in
the schedule but switch the “Reason for Visit” from their original appointment to
“Missed Appointment” so that it will show up in their file at all times. A phone call must
be made to this client explaining our now show policy. This phone call should also
prompt a medical quick note whether a conversation was had or a message was left. This
way, it can be kindly explained and the client is aware of our policy before making a
second appointment.

When a client failed to show up to their 2nd rescheduled appointment, again you will keep
the appointment in the schedule but switch the “Reason for Visit” from their original
appointment to “Missed Appointment” so that it will show up in their file at all times. A
phone call must be made to kindly explain to the client that in order to schedule their visit
a third time, they will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of the exam fee or 50% of the
surgery before an appointment slot can be reserved for that client. This can be done by
right clicking in the payment portion, and taking payment for the deposit but still leaving
it as credit on to their account. Again, a medical quick note of the conversation should be
recorded.

21

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CONFIRMATION CALLS Policy # R-15

• Confirmation Calls
1. Every morning we call the following day’s clients after 9:45AM to
confirm their appointment for tomorrow.
2. To confirm a surgery call and say, “Hi this is ___ calling form the Animal
Hospital of Lake Villa. Just calling in to confirm ___’s surgery
appointment tomorrow with Dr. ___
3. They will either confirm or cancel, or you leave a message
4. Remind them no food after midnight (except rabbits) but water is OK.
Also that drop off time for surgery admittance is between 7:15-7:45AM.
 Note that if it is a surgery for an exotic, they don’t all fast. Fasting
for rabbits can be dangerous so make sure you are looking at what
species the surgery is for.
5. When confirming regular appointments say, “Hi this is __ calling from
AHLV, just calling to confirm _patient_name_’s appointment tomorrow at
__time__ with Dr.____. Make sure you remind them which Dr they are
seeing. We would like you to repeat date/time/Dr 3 times when speaking
or leaving a message for an owner.
 For Wellness exams remind them to bring a fecal, and if the pet is
over 7 years of age please remind them to fast. Meaning no food 6-
8 hours prior to the appointment. Our doctors like to run senior
bloodwork panels for every pet over 7 during Wellness visits.
 For Professional/ADR exams If they will need any type of blood
work done remind patient to fast 6-8 hours prior to appointment.
 For New Client Exams remind them that they kind find our New
Client form online but otherwise, to come in 5 min early to get that
filled out. If they don’t have records in the file, remind them to
give us a call back so that we can get those records ahead of time.
 For FAS patients, remind O to give PVP and to wait in the car if
applicable.
 For urinary issues, remind O to give plenty of water before the
appointment and not let the patient urinate prior to or to pick up a
urine collection kit to be able to gather urine before appointment.
6. Then on each appointment, write in the notes whether you left a message
or spoke to owner (STO) and then click confirm.
7. Even if the client has confirmed via Pet Desk, you still want to call them
to confirm the apt the day before. This is done to give those special
instructions for the appointment.

22

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

DIAGNOSTIC CALLS Policy # R-16

• Pulling up diagnostics in Cornerstone
1. Click on the icon at the top left corner in Cornerstone that looks like a
medical case with a red plus (+) on it. This is called the Tool box.
2. At the top of that page, click the box that says “View for all staff”
3. Click at the tab under it that says diagnostics to pull up the list of lab
results.
4. Double click on the “Date” at the top so that all the most recent
diagnostics come up first.

• Where to find fecal results
1. The fecal results are listed as “Microbiology” labs
2. Double click the entire file and look at the results. If they say none seen
that we will call them. You must let the client know that “No ova or
parasites were seen in the stool sample” rather than just saying it was
negative.
3. If the lab says positive for some sort of worm or parasite, we will relay the
information to the Dr. that saw the patient so they can give a call back
with those results to the owner
4. On how to schedule a call back:
5. On the diagnostics tab right click the patients name and click “Schedule a
call back” Then put corresponding Dr in the “Staff ID” and put what the
patient is positive for (Giardia (+), etc.)

• Where to find heartworm test results
1. Follow the same steps as the fecal, but the heartworm tests are listed under
Immunology
2. Double click to view the results and click print in order to have a better
view of the results. Read through results, looking for a positive/negative
for Heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis.
3. If all is negative, it is okay to call.
4. If Lyme is positive schedule a call back for the Dr.
5. Same procedure will be followed for a positive fecal result, just put (Lyme
(+) ) in the description.
6. If Lyme is positive vaccine and negative exposure, make sure that the
patient has had a Lyme vaccine in the past. If not, relay to the Dr. to call
with results.
7. Assuming all is negative call saying “… Patient tested negative for
heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis, so everything came back
negative looking good! If you have any other questions, feel free to give
us a call back at 847-356-8387.”
8. If positive vaccine but has had it before, let them know that the vaccine
antibodies showed up on the test meaning that it is working!

23

• Making the Diagnostic Call
1. When calling, it is important to be clear and confident when speaking.
Some people can be worried when receiving test results regardless if they
are expecting bad news or not.
2. Introduce yourself, “Hello, this is … from the Animal Hospital of Lake
Villa. I am calling with ‘patients’ fecal/heartworm test results.”
3. Fecal: continue with “There were no ova or parasites seen in the given
fecal sample, so everything came back looking good!”
 Avoid saying the results came back negative because it is not
necessarily a negative result. While the samples are usually
correct, it is possible that the sample did not contain ova or
parasites but there were some in the rest of the poop.
4. Heartworm: follow with “Patient came back negative for heartworm,
Lyme, ehrlichia, and anaplasmosis, so everything came back negative.”
 If Lyme is positive vaccine negative exposure, verify via the
patient clipboard for previous history that the patient has received a
Lyme vaccine in the past. If you are sure they have not, relay to
the Dr. to call with results.

24

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

ACTIVATION CALLS Policy # R-17

Activation calls are simply a phone call made to clients who have patients that are either
coming up due or past due for either a Wellness Exam or a Rabies vaccination. It is our
duty as Veterinary professionals to make our clients aware of these so that they can
provide their pets with the very best possible care.

Activation Calls are so imperative to your Valuable Final Product, that they are directly
tracked as a statistic. In order to have a fully booked doctor’s schedule with highly
satisfied clients whom are keeping their appointments, you need to complete your
activation calls to actively work towards getting them scheduled.

Every week, you will get a new list. This entire list should be called that week to its
entirety as best as possible.

1) Enter the Client ID number in the box in cornerstone to pull up the file.
2) Check to make sure they are indeed past due for either a rabies vaccine or

wellness exam. ***If they are due for a wellness exam and rabies is due within 2
months, go ahead and call. However, use your judgment if the wellness exam is
past due and rabies is due in 6 months to avoid having to come in twice in that
year, and pay for two separate wellness visits***
3) Check to make sure the patient does not already have a wellness appointment
scheduled. You’ll look silly if they tell you that they have an appointment booked
because you missed this step.
4) Check to see if there is already a Medical Quick Note with Activation Notes.

a) You should be able to see in the patient’s history to find one
b) Read previous notes, if there is a “Do not call” note, then please do not

call.
c) Some notes may have instructions like “Call in January due to rabies

vacc” it is okay to follow these notes and stay organized.
d) If there is no “Activation Log” then create one and make sure to uncheck

the “Finalize in 2 days” box to be able to access it. Make the text purple.
e) If the note has been finalized, you can just write an “addendum” to keep

the note going.
5) Once you’ve checked those things, you’re ready to make a phone call.

a) Take a look at the file and see what stands out to you. Was there a recent
ear issue? What type of breed dog is it? Something to help you build ARC
with the client.

b) Make the phone call.
c) If someone answers the phone, don’t start right away with the items past

due. Talk about that first thing that stood out. “Hey Mrs. Smith, this is
Sandy from Animal Hospital of Lake Villa. I was just reviewing your
patient file and wanted to check on Susie. She was in about a month ago

25

for vomiting and diarrhea, is she doing better? Great! I think we can go
ahead and update her rabies vaccine now that she’s doing just fine. How
about I put you down for Saturday? Are you free in the morning or the
afternoon?
d) If you’re leaving a message, don’t mention the vaccinations. Often times,
if you mention that’s the reason you’re calling, then they start to tune you
out and purposely ignore your call, thinking they’ll call later to make the
appointment. However, most pet parents continue to forget and then the
patient goes unprotected. Leave a message like “Hello there! This is Sandy
from Animal Hospital of Lake Villa, I was just calling in regard to Susie.
Please give me a call back at (847) 356-8387. I’d like to just go over some
quick information with you.” Keeping it short and simple will help you get
through your calls faster too.
e) Every once in a while, you may get an upset client. Maybe you caught
someone in a bad mood, maybe they’re upset about something else, could
be they already knew and don’t respond well to calls. IT IS OKAY. Just
keep professional and polite, let them know that we just care very much
about our patients but that you understand that reminder calls aren’t for
everyone. Then ask if they’d like to receive reminders a different way. Say
something like “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Smith. We didn’t mean to upset you;
reminder calls help us communicate with pet parents and take care of our
patients. But they’re not for everyone. I can go ahead and remove you
from the calling list, is there a different way you prefer to receive
reminders? I can email you, send you something in the mail?”
f) Make a note of whatever dialog you had with the person. Understand that
your activation log is to help you know what you’ve done to try and get
that patient booked. Maybe you call and there’s no way of leaving a
message? Try leaving the time you’re calling and aim to call at a different
hour each time to try and get a hold of the client. Has the client requested
e-mail reminders instead? Send out an email!
g) Often times, other forms of communication help and people love to be
able to get estimates for what’s due. For this reason, we follow a schedule.
Every client should be called weekly until an appointment has been made,
for four weeks. Then send out a snail mail letter and then an email letter.
Listen to your notes to check which one you have done.
a. Week 1: Phone Call
b. Week 2: Phone Call
c. Week 3: Phone Call
d. Week 4: Phone Call
e. Week 5: Snail mail
f. Week 6: Email
g. Week 7: Phone Call
h. Week 8: Phone Call
i. Week 9: Phone Call
j. Week 10 Phone Call
k. Week 11: Snail mail
l. Week 12: Email
m. Week 13: Phone call

26

n. And so on until the client has made an appointment.
6) Track your numbers. Keep track of your own numbers by writing on your list, or

writing down tallies on the Activation Log found in the server (datavault>Client
Care Representatives>Printing>Activation Log). Every week, these numbers are
collected and turned in on Wednesdays. Or week starts on Wednesday and ends
on Tuesday. If you know you’re off on Tuesdays, then you know your calls
should be done by Monday. This along with other stats, are extremely important
to your own personal growth at Animal Hospital of Lake Villa.

• Re-Activation Calling
1) There should be a re-activation call list to call from
2) Enter the client ID and open the re-activation note file in their clipboard. If there

is no file, make one and remember to unclick the auto finalize box.
3) Call asking for an update on the pet and seeing if there is a good time for you to

schedule them.
4) Leave a note in the file with the date, and a small note of how the conversation

went.
5) Most calls will be voicemails, a few conversations, and rarely will you make an

appointment.
6) These calls are very important because it keeps us in touch with our clients and

keeps them thinking about us and preventative plans for their pets.
7) Record the emails sent out, letters mailed out, number of calls made, clients

contacted, and appointments made.

27

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

ENTERING NEW CLIENT INFORMATION Policy # R-18

INTO COMPUTER

As the Client Care Representative, it is your responsibility to enter new client information
into the computer. The software used in this office is “Cornerstone”. The steps to
entering new client information are as follows.

1. Open a patient clipboard.
2. Right click on the “Client ID” box and select new
3. Enter in client information (name, address, PHONE NUMBER, and

county which is under the prompt section).
 The reason why phone number is so important is because it can
easily be missed. Make sure you right click in the white box below
the client information to enter a client’s phone number.

4. The file will automatically prompt you to input the county information.
Not all of our patients live in Lake County and this information will help
the entire team with Rabies Certificates.

5. Once you have entered all the client information you can then add a
patient file to the account

28

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

ENTERING NEW PATIENT Policy # R-19
INFORMATION INTO COMPUTER

As the Client Care Representative, it is your responsibility to enter new patient
information into the computer. The software used in this office is “Cornerstone”. The
steps to entering new client information are as follows.

1. Right click on the patient list at the top right of the patient clipboard and
select new.

2. Ask for and enter the information needed. Make sure to be as thourough as
possible when getting all the information. Just follow through and fill in
the blanks for all the information:
 Name
 Breed
 Sex (Neutered/Spayed/Unaltered)
 Date of Birth (Ask the client this, it’s important to them)
 Color (Gray cats are blue, orange cats are red and tri-color, brindle,
or mearle have specific patterns. Use them adequately)

3. To change or update the information just right click on the blue
highlighted patient name and select “Update”

29

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NEW CLIENT CALL-IN DIALOGUE Policy # R-20

You will be the first contact new clients have with our office. Your voice is the first one
they hear. The way you handle yourself over the phone, as well as at the front desk, is very
key to getting and keeping new clients.

The following is a general script for a new client call:

You: Thank you for calling Animal Hospital of Lake Villa, this is , how
may I help you today?

New Client: Hi! My dog needs to get neutered, can you tell me how much you guys
charge for that?

You: What a fantastic pet parent you are for looking in to this. I sure can! Neutering
prices depend on a couple of different factors though. Can I get your name and phone
number in case we get disconnected?

New Client: Sure, my name is Janice and my number is (224) 747-5754

You: Awesome! How much does your pet weigh? Have his testicles descended? Does he
have any heart conditions or anything that may affect his anesthesia?

New Client: He weighs about 20 lbs but I’m not really sure about the rest.

You: It does go based on weight, the more a patient weighs the more anesthesia he’ll
need. There’s also other health complications that could alter your estimate. For the
most accuracy we recommend you come in for an exam and luckily, all of our new clients
receive a complimentary exam. During your first visit, the doctor can address all your
concerns, give you some information about our AAHA protocols and the visit is free! Are
you available tomorrow?

New Client: Sure, that works for me!

You: Alright, great! Let me go ahead and put you in our system. How did you hear about
us today?

New Client: I got a flyer in the mail.

You: That’s great! Like one of those money mailer ones?

New Client: No, it was a postcard.

30

You: Wonderful!

Price Shoppers who “just want an estimate…”

You: Thank you for calling Animal Hospital of Lake Villa, this is , how
may I help you today?

New Client: Hi! My dog needs to get neutered, can you tell me how much you guys
charge for that?

You: I sure can! Neutering prices depend on a couple of different factors though. Can I
get your name and phone number in case we get disconnected?

New Client: Sure, my name is Janice and my number is (224) 747-5754

You: Great, and how did you hear about us?

New Client: I got a flyer in the mail.

You: Okay perfect, because neutering prices can vary depending on weight and health
concerns, we recommend you make an appointment. Luckily, all of our new clients
receive a complimentary exam so if you’ve never been to our facility, you can come by
check it out, meet the doctors, we can assess your pet’s health and it’s all free. When are
you available?

New Client: You know, I’m only looking for a price quote.

You: I understand and you’re such a great pet parent for considering neutering. It offers
great health benefits! We have some premade rough estimates but it does go based on
weight. The larger a patient is, the more anesthesia he/she needs. How much does your
dog weigh?

New Client: He weighs about 50 lbs.

You: A neuter at that weight starts at about $215 on Wednesdays for our “No-Hump
Wednesday Special”

New Client: That’s hilarious! But you guys are much more expensive than other
hospitals I’ve called.

You: Well, keep in mind that a surgery at one facility is not going to be identical to a
surgery at another one. We’re accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association
so we have over 900 rigorous standards and protocols to follow for the best possible care
of our patients. Some of these protocols include all day surgery monitoring, brand new
breathing tubes and needles, presurgical exams, pain management during and after
surgery and so much more. All of this was included in the estimate I gave you! We also
try to go above and beyond for all of our clients and patients. We reduce the amount of

31

fear, stress and anxiety in our patients through the use of calming pheromones, special
handling and icalm. We understand that you love your companion animal very much and
so we’re also happy to text you pictures and updates throughout the day!
New Client: Wow, that is a lot! You’re saying that other hospitals don’t do this?
You: I can’t tell you what they do do or what they don’t do but what I can tell you is that
the American Animal Hospital Association comes in and monitors us to make sure we’re
following these proper guidelines. It’s an accreditation that only 15% of animal hospitals
in the entire nation receive. We welcome you to come in and view the surgery process if
you’d like because we don’t have anything to hide! You’re also welcome to make an
exam and tour the hospital for yourself. Like I mentioned before, all new clients receive a
complimentary exam.
New Client: You know, I think I will make that exam. I’d like to check you guys out!
You: Great! Let’s put you into our system”
Remember to go back to the New Client Builder and make sure all the information was
included and that you converted the appointment.

32

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NEW CLIENT BUILDER Policy # R-21

Using the New Client Builder Spreadsheet is an extremely essential part of tracking
statistics for future growth of the practice. Future growth means more opportunities for
all employees in the form of rewards such as raises, promotions and benefits. To do so,
you can write click on excel or the libre version of such, open up the “New Client
Builder” and record the information. If you need help with how to phrase such questions,
please see the attached script. Every single potential new client (this means price
shoppers, too) must be documented on this spreadsheet as follows:

Date Name Phone Source Reason Result Initials

2/5/16 Julia 386-314-1679 Google Price shopping Booked MP

We are going to break this down with a quick explanation on each statistic we are
tracking.

Date – The date the phone call was made is important because we need to know when the
phone call was actually made. This helps us look back on any pertaining information
regarding the phone call.

Name – It is preferred to get both a last name and a first name, however, some potential
new clients are more comfortable giving just a first name. This helps you address them
personally during the entire phone call. This personal touch alone is sometimes enough to
convert them into a client of ours.

Phone – Obviously, you’re not lying. The phone number is important in case you get
disconnected but it also helps verify other information. Say Julia decided not to book that
day but shopped around and then called back and booked the appointment. We then know
that we can count Julia as one of the calls and then the source doesn’t get booked twice.
In the event that a New Client does call back, it is the receptionist who makes the
appointment gets the conversion credit.

Source – This is one of the most important statistics as it helps us find out where we
should be pushing our marketing efforts and where we should be pulling back. The
source isn’t necessarily why they’re calling, rather where they were inclined to call. For
example, if a client accidentally calls us because they were confused us with Animal
Medical Center of Lake Villa, the source wouldn’t be Animal Medical Center of Lake
Villa, rather the internet search that led them to our phone number. Here’s the list of
appropriate sources:

33

• Referrals – This includes any friends, groomers, rescues, family members or
actual person that put our name into their brains. If a name is provided, please put
that name down as well (ex. Referral – Peace, Paws & Harmony) so that we know
which people to thank.

• Google – Sometimes people will straight say Google but if they say they did an
online search, please verify the search engine. We sometimes pay for Google Ad
words and need to know if there is benefit from that.

• Yahoo- Sometimes people will straight say Yahoo but if they say they did an
online search, please verify the search engine.

• Website – Our own website can generate leads for us as well which means that “e-
mail” is not a valid source as they must have gotten our e-mail from somewhere.
If it is a website lead that you got from our e-mail, you are to write “Website” as
the source.

• Online Generic – This is used anytime people cannot quite remember which
online source they used. Sometimes clients will use their safari on their phones,
there’s also other search engines that are not mentioned. Other times, clients
aren’t as technological savvy so are unsure about what we may mean by “search
engine” which is completely fine.

• Yelp – Some potential new clients will say that they read our reviews which is
how they knew to call us first. You can ask if this was “Yelp or Google” because
again, Yelp has a service that allows us to advertise on it. So far, we haven't heard
of many people in our area using Yelp so we have not but it may be something we
look in to if we get many new clients from it.

• Social Media – Facebook’s main purpose is not to gather New Clients, rather to
share our current promotions with existing ones. However, every once in a while,
it will generate a new client for us and we need to be able to document that. This
goes for Instagram, Snap Chat, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, and Flickr.

• Money Mailer- We’ve often noticed “Flyer” as an imput but we need to specify
what kind of flyer. A simple question like “Oh like the one in the Money Mailer
with all the coupons?” usually suffices to clarify that for us. Money Mailer is a
service that we pay for so we must know if it is something that is worth our
money.

• Post Card – This refers to our New Home Cards that are mailed out weekly.
Again, it is money spent in advertising that we must make sure is generating
money for us. When asked what kind of mailer they received, they will usually
say post card but you may need to definitely distinguish this from the Money
Mailer.

• Hospital Sign – This includes anyone that states they drive by us all the time, that
they saw our sign or anyone who walked-in for an appointment. A “walk-in” isn’t
necessarily the source rather the reason they came in. They decided to “walk-in”
to this specific facility because they saw our sign unless they otherwise
specifically mentioned one of the different sources listed.

• Viva Cards – We will soon be working with a company that provides
exceptionally great looking mailers. This mailer will look more like a brochure
but again will require verification from the client. We are paying for these Viva
cards so we must verify that we are getting a return on this investment.

• Yellow Pages – This refers to the physical yellow pages book or the online
source.

34

• Newspaper – While the main purpose of our news paper appearance is to generate
good publicity, it is possible to gather a new client from that. If so, reception is to
write down that the source is newspaper with the name of the newspaper it was.

• Event – We do attend various events and sometimes it is there that they received
our flyers, brochures or talked to someone who gave them information.

• Unknown – This will refer to anyone who refused to answer your question or if
you forgot to ask the question in the first place. Of course, this number from now
on should be minimal.

Reason – This refers to the reason why the client was calling. It could be for puppy/kitten
vaccines, spay or neuter quotes, new to the area, etc. This is an important thing to track
because it helps us see what services our general area is looking for.
Result – This is our conversion rate! This should only be answered as two questions,
booked or not booked. Whether they will call back, need to talk to husband or anything
else, we only need to know whether the client has booked or not booked that
appointment.
Initials – This gives credit to the person who converted the appointment. It helps us by
letting our Executive Director know which person may need extra training and which
person should work on that training. It also helps us gather personal statistics which can
be used in our weekly battle plans.

35

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

HANDLING THE NEW CLIENT Policy # R-22

1. Greet the client in a warm, friendly, and professional manner. Be sure to introduce
yourself, including your job title.

2. Request that client fill out Client Registration Form. You may have taken some of
this information over the phone if the client called earlier. All new clients must fill
out this form before we can see their pet. (See sample of this form.) If the new
client is bringing their pet in for boarding, they will also have to fill out the
Boarding Admission Form.

3. While the client is completing the form required, make up the client chart, if you
have not already done so.

4. Double check the forms for completeness (Drivers License #, client signature,
alternate phone numbers, etc.). Enter needed information into computer to
complete client screen, and the patient screen. The patient screen is the pet
information.

5. If the new client is bringing in a new pet tell them about our New Pet Package. If
they are interested in the package, have them read and sign the Contract for
Owners.

6. Ensure that all information needed is in the client chart, and the chart is ready to be
picked up by the Technician.

7. Inform the Technician that the client is ready, using the office intercom.

36

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: SEPT 9 Approved by: MARIA P.
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NEW CLIENT RECORD GATHERING Policy # R-23

Purpose: Is to ensure we are fully prepared for all New Clients coming into the practice.
This will ensure that we run smoothly on our daily activities as well as help keep the new
client coming back for the future.

1. When making a new client appointment, you must remember to get the records
sent to us from their previous hospital
a. Ask “Where was your pet previously seen? Is it okay if we call to get
records?”
i. This ensures that you are able to at least get the reminder dates
over the phone for the patient.
b. Try not to accept “I’ll bring the records with me”
i. You can say “Actually, it’s easier for us to prepare for your visit if
we have the records ahead of time, do you mind if we call to get
them sent? That way, you don’t even have to worry about bringing
them in with you at all.”
ii. If they still don’t feel comfortable, you can always have them snap
a picture of their records and email them to us. Try everything you
possibly can to get the records sent as soon as possible.
c. Some hospitals may have restrictions (Fox Lake and Lindenhurst)
i. It is okay to let the client know that they have restrictions but the
important thing is to have the client call their hospital TODAY to
give verbal consent.
ii. “I’m sorry, that animal hospital does not allow for us to call them
for records. Can you please call to give your consent to send
records TODAY? That way, if they haven’t sent them by the time
of the visit, we can always call again since you’ve already given
consent.
iii. Call the hospital anyway to see if they can give you verbal dates
for vaccinations. They will typically at the very least allow that.

2. Ensure the records get scanned into the file.
a. To learn how to scan a file, see our SCANNING protocol.
b. It is important that the records make it into the file in a timely manner
which is why scanning needs to be completed every day. Records are no
good to us if they haven’t made it into the file.
c. Remember to add vaccinations in the reminders. Even if we are not seeing
that patient for vaccinations, this will prompt our reminding service to
send a postcard and/or notification when vaccines are up to date. Even if
vaccinations are past due, it’s important to add them in right away.

3. Check the file the day prior.
a. When doing confirmation calls and see a New Client, make sure to look if
the records have made it into the file.
37

b. If they haven’t, give them a quick call to find out where we can get those
records.

c. Prepare yourself for the next day.
4. Keep in mind that we CANNOT give vaccine certificates unless we administered

the vaccinations or received records from the hospital stating that they were
administered.

a. This can be a liability for the doctors so while we apply the reminders into
the file, it is important to always check when a vaccine certificate is
requested.

b. If we have not administered the vaccinations, or have received records of
the vaccinations, then the client must be instructed to call their previous
vet for the certificate.

c. Example: “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Smith, but it looks like ABC Animal
Hospital never sent us a copy of those records so we are unable to provide
you with that certificate. You can try giving them a call for the certificate
itself or I can call them to fax over the records so that we can take care of
that for you.”

5. If records are missing from a specific new client, management will try to schedule
an REC call back so that client care representatives can call for those records
ahead of time using this protocol.

38

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NEW CLIENT WALK-IN DIALOGUE Policy # R-24

Many times a new client will come in to the office, seeking an appointment, or treatment
for their pet, without having first called. They may or may not have their pet with them.
When this happens, greet the client in a warm, friendly and professional manner.

The following is a general script for a new client walk-in.

REC: “Good morning! My name is ____________________, I’m the
Client Care Representative. How may I help you?”

CLIENT: “I am new to the area, and would like to bring my dog in for his yearly
exam, sometime next week.”

REC: “Great! I will need you to fill out our registration form.”

Give the client a Client Registration Form and a pen if they should need one. Once the
client fills out the form and returns it to you, check it to assure that it is completely filled
out. If all the information you need is not filled out, ask the client the information needed.
Assure that the pet has been vaccinated for Rabies.

REC: “Do you have records from your previous vet?”

CLIENT: “No, I don’t. Do you need them?”

REC: “Yes, I do. May I have your permission to call your previous
Veterinary office and have them fax over the records?”

CLIENT: “Sure, their phone number is 111-222-3333.”

REC: “Good, let me give them a call.”

Call the previous office and ask that they fax over the records to you. If they cannot fax
them at the time you call, specifically ask about vaccines and dates. Once you have this
information from the previous office you will schedule an appointment for the client. (See
Policy on Scheduling an Appointment, pg. 24.)

39

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

NEW CLIENT FORM Policy # R-25

Upon arrival to Animal Hospital of Lake Villa, it is vital that all New Clients fill out the
New Client form. Remember that sometimes C’s can sound like D’s and so the New
Client Form helps us make sure that all the information we gathered over the phone is
correct.

This form also explains to them payment is required upon services rendered and gives us
permission to treat their pets. The form also explains to the new client what forms of
payment we accept and that we do not accept Checks as a form of payment. It’s never a
piece of paper you want to forget.

After the New Client Form has been filled out, look it over to make sure it is complete.
Update any information that needs updating in the patient clipboard in Cornerstone.

If the New Client was referred by a friend, remember to include that in the “Referrals”
tab in Coernerstone and give that client the $10 referral bonus.

Attached you will find a copy of our New Client Form. Make sure to familiarize yourself
with the form so that you can assure that everything is completed the next time a New
Client comes in through our doors.

40

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA
CLIENT INFORMATION
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for your pet. Please help us meet your
needs
better by taking a moment to complete this form.
Owners
Name____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
Spouse/Other_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________
City__________________________________County__________________________Stat
e______Zip Code______________________
Phone:
Home____________________________Work______________________________Mobil
e_____________________________
Email
Address__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
We will gladly prepare a written estimate if you desire. Please ask the receptionist or
doctor.
PROFESSIONAL FEES ARE DUE AT THE TIME SERVICES ARE RENDERED
How did you first hear of our hospital?
Individual; Someone we may
thank?___________________________________________________________________
_____
Hospital Sign Google Search Facebook Money Mailer Website
Post Card Mailed Brochure Other__________________________________
TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND PARASITES,
HOSPITALIZED ANIMALS MUST BE CURRENT ON ALL VACCINES AND
FREE OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITES. I authorize the doctor to
provide vaccines and parasite control as needed for my pet. I assume responsibility
for all charges incurred in the care of this (these) animal(s). I also understand that
these charges will be paid at the time of release, unless prior arrangements have been
made. A deposit may be required for inpatient procedures at the discretion of the
Animal Hospital of Lake Villa. I agree to pay all outstanding balances together with
any other charges (finance and/or collection) due thereon. I understand that personal
checks are not taken as a form of payment and I will provide payment in the form of
cash, Care Credit, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover or debit cards.
Signature of Owner or duly authorized
agent________________________________________________________________
Date_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________
Comments________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

41

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

SCANNING Policy # R-26

Scanning patient related forms or history is vital for our patient care. All of these forms
or histories should be placed in the “To be scanned” bin next to the printer and should be
scanned into the file in a timely manner.

1) Select a computer closest to the scanner/printer.
 There is one on dog side and cat side. It is all Client Care
Representatives responsibility to keep up with the scanning. Just
because the scanning is on the dog side, does not mean that only
the CCR working on the dog side should be the one taking care of
this.

2) Open up HP Smart and click Scan
3) Place Document(s) in the feeder and click scan

 Note that anesthesia logs have two sides so you will be required to
flip that while scanning or add it after the whole file has been
scanned.

4) Save document under LastName-PatientName-Name of document in the
ZScan drive under corresponding letter of patient last name folder.

5) Then open up Cornerstone and open corresponding patient’s clipboard.
6) Check to make sure that all the patient information has been updated.

 If they are vaccines, make sure the vaccine reminders were
updated. This will help us provide the best medicine as the client
will then receive updated reminders and our patients won’t miss a
single preventative vaccine.

 If the information included a new rabies tag or microchip
information, it is vital you update that information as well.

7) Right click patient name and click “Medical Note”
 Search for the corresponding document label. Keep in mind that
some of these have their own color to make searching for them
much easier in the system.
 !Signed Marketing Release
 !VetScan Urinalysis Results (yellow)
 !Previous History (green)

• Type where the history is from in the blank label on top.

• For specialty or ER visits, make sure to include the date
 !Surgical/Anesthesia Forms

• Type what surgery these forms are for on top label.
 !Blank Insurance Form (purple)

• Type which insurance company it is for on top label
 !Insurance Claim Form

• This would be the filled out claim form that was submitted

42

• Type the date of the invoices and or exam date that the
claim is for on top label.

 !Signed Decline Letter
• Type up which diagnostic/treatment was declined on the
top blank label.

 !Inpatient Exam Notes and Forms
• Type up the reason for the visit and date of visit on the top
blank label.

 !Signed Euthanasia Consent Form
 !New Client Form
8) Under the attachment tab right click and press new.
9) Locate desired document in the ZScan under corresponding patient’s last
name. This is why it is so vital to keep the Z Scan folder organized.
10) Finalize document and save.
The scanning should all be complete at the end of the day, every day. It is vital to the
patient files this be kept up with. For this reason, Veterinary Assistants must make sure
that the surgery notes are done in adequate time and that all drop off or surgical
procedure documents get placed in the corresponding spot upon discharge to allow
enough time to complete that scanning. Client Care Representatives will not be
allowed to leave for the day unless the scanning has been completed. Keep in mind
that you can remind the Veterinary Assistants for these forms since all discharges are
scheduled so we know when they are coming in.

43

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Policy # R-27 Revised:

CONDO CARDS AND COLLARS

Condo cards help the entire team stay organized by directly labeling which patient is in
which condo (cage). Every hospitalized patient (even if only for a few minutes) must
have a condo label made and placed on the outside of the condo. To make a condo label,
you will have to use the computer at the Dog Reception desk, next to the printer and
follow these steps:

1. Right click and select correspondence in the patient clipboard.
2. Search and select “cage label”
3. Write in the procedure being done under the special instructions prompt.
4. Select print, and make sure the dymo label is selected as the printer.
5. Stick the label onto an index card, and assign to proper kennel or place it
with the surgical paperwork for the patient.

The collars help differentiate between patients. I’m sure you can understand that if two
hospitalized patients are here for treatment, that look exactly the same, we’d want to take
extra precaution in identifying them. These paper collars are also safer than their regular
collar as they won’t get stuck in between the dental table or mess up any radiology.

1. Grab a paper collar from the box located next to the printer at the Dog
Entrance. They should come in various colors.

2. Starting with the side that has adhesive, write down the Client Id number, then
the patient name in quotation marks, then the patient’s last name, and then
finally the reason for the visit.

3. Attach this collar to the in-patient paperwork or directly put the collar on the
patient.

44

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

HANDLING THE ESTABLISHED CLIENT Policy # R-28

1. Greet client in a warm, friendly and professional manner.

2. Ask the client to sign the Sign-in Sheet.

3 Ask client if he/she has any changes in address, phone numbers, etc. Make any
changes to client records, as necessary.

4. If the client is bringing their pet in for boarding, have them fill out a Boarding
Admission Form.

4. If an authorized person, not the pet owner, brings the pet in for treatment, note the
name of the person, so the Doctor or Technician can address the person by name.

5. Inform the Technician that the client is ready to be seen, using the office intercom.

45

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

General Policy Manual Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: Dr.
McGinniss
DROP OFF APPOINTMENTS Policy # GP-29
Revised:

Drop off appointments refer to any appointments that need to be done in hospital, usually
due to an overbooked scheduled. Only exams that need to be seen sooner, usually with
actual time sensitive medical issues should be scheduled as a Drop Off Appointment. It is
policy at the Animal Hospital of Lake Villa that any animal being dropped off for an
exam be treated as if it was our own animal.

When scheduling a Drop Off appointment, the appropriate consent form needs to be
printed and ready to fill out. Specific types of exams require specific types of drop off
forms because they ask the specific questions needed for the doctor to route appropriate
treatment. For example, if a patient is being dropped off for a limping issue, the consent
form printed needs to be the “Inpatient – Limping” one. The consent form along with an
estimate, cage card, and collar should all be printed and ready to be BEFORE the patient
arrives. This is the responsibility of the Veterinary Assistants the night before unless the
appointment was made that very day, in which case the Client Care Representative whom
booked the appointment is responsible for the forms.

Cats: Should be put into a cage away from dog and/or other infectious cats, preferably the
cat ward. If they come in a carrier the carrier should be open so that the cat can come out.
They should also be placed in cages that are up higher rather than down low. Feliway
should be sprayed in the kennel at minimum 5 minutes before the animal is placed. If
pheromones have not been sprayed, then a towel can be sprayed and placed inside the
kennel five minutes after spraying. The iCalm Cat Music should be playing prior to the
patient’s arrival.

Dogs: Should be put into a run/cage according to what is going on with the dog. Collars
and leashes need to be taken off of the dog. If it is an older dog or a sick dog that doesn't
chew up blankets make sure to put a blanket in with them. If they are staying for most of
the day and the doctor says it is fine, give them a bowl of water. Adaptil should be
sprayed in the kennel at minimum, 5 minutes before the animal is placed. The iCalm for
Dog music should be playing prior to their arrival.

Note: Patients with urinary issues should be given water immediately as they will likely
require a urinalysis. Any patients that are experiencing a potentially contagious disease
(parvo, kennel cough, etc.) should NEVER be placed with other animals and should
instead be placed in isolation.

46

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CLIENT MAIL RETURNED WITH NO Policy # R-30
FORWARDING ADDRESS

This is the procedure to follow when the mailman returns letters and postcards. The
following can be applied to any mail sent to patients.

1. Pull up the Client Screen in and attempt to reach the client by telephone to obtain
the correct address.

2. If the new address is received, re-route the letter/postcard to the correct address.

3. If there is not a valid phone number and the patient cannot be contacted with the
information we have listed but you know they were referred by another patient,
attempt to obtain new information from that source.

4. If no information is obtained through a referral source, call directory assistance to
obtain a new phone number or address.

5. If the above attempts fail to produce a current address, consider the client to be
“inactive”. Clients are made inactive by_______________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.

6. The returned piece of mail should be placed in the Client Chart with your initials,
and the date.

7. Go to the Client Screen, click on “notes” and indicate the mail was returned with
no return address.

NOTE: If the patient has a balance, it is important not to make the account inactive,
so the outstanding balance can be pursued by the Accounts/Office Manager. “Flag”
the client to alert the Accounts/Office Manager.
Client Registration Form.

47

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CLIENT CHECK-IN Policy # R-31

Checking In an Appointment

1) Greet the client!
 Greet like golden retriever! Golden Retrievers are always happy to
see people and they show it. Make the client feel welcome with
enthusiasm for their arrival.
 Try to greet a person by their name and the patient by their name
as well. If you only remember the patient name, that’s totally fine.
Greet the patient by name!

2) Verify the client and patient being checked in.
3) Right click on appointment, and click “Check in”
4) Verify the reason for the visit and then click the “Check in” button on the top

right corner.
5) Verify the client information (address street, last four digits of phone

number, and email address). It will be popped up on your screen.
6) When it prompts you to print, select “yes” and it will print at Pharmacy.
7) Make note of any additional information that may pertain to situation and

communicate it to the rest of the team via Slack.
8) Go over the estimate with each client.
9) When going over an estimate, verify that the client would like a 1yr rabies vs.

a 3yr rabies vaccine for canines.
10) Offer pheromone towels/bandanas if patient shows signs of FAS
11) Offer to get heartworm/flea and tick prevention ready for them. Try to offer

12 months of each, or the best rebate discount for them (which is typically
the 12months of each)
12) If doing blood work, verify that patient has been fasted
13) If preventative/diarrhea appointment, ask for a stool sample. If a stool sample
was not provided get a prepaid tube ready for client to take home.
14) The check in form gets placed inside inside the corresponding male/female
folder and placed in the “Waiting for a Room” bin on the other side of the
door in pharmacy.
15) FOR CONTAGIOUS PETS: If a patient for example has kennel cough as a
possible diagnosis, we want to prevent the spread of this virus. The patient
can weighed and put into an open room immediately. The lobby must be
mopped right away to prevent the spread of infection/virus. From there, the
client can be checked in, in corresponding room.

48

Checking In a Surgery
1) Go over why they are here and check them in like a normal appointment
 There should be surgical paperwork made up by the technicians
from the day before.
2) Go through the estimate and show them the difference between high and low,
and explain why this might vary (anesthesia, extractions, bloodwork, etc.)
3) Go through surgical paperwork
4) Go over pre -anesthetic blood work (If over 7yrs of age it is required).
5) Ask them about post-op laser therapy-Check the appropriate box.
6) Ask them if pet is microchipped, if not we can do it at this time.
7) If they are here for a dentistry, go over consent for extractions. Let them
know that they can consent or not, or up to a dollar amount. We recommend
they fully consent because it will be more difficult and expensive to put them
under again for the extractions.
8) Ask them about sending text message and picture updates throughout the
day, along with asking if they consent to us posting pictures of their beautiful
pets on social media.
9) Assuming they say yes, get a phone number and have them sign the surgical
consent paperwork.
10) Take the patient and put them into the Dog or Feline condo.
11) It is important to have these cages prepped with a pheromone spray and
iCalm music.

49

ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF LAKE VILLA

CLIENT CARE Date: 23 MAY 19 Approved by: MP
REPRESENTATIVE Revised:

CLIENT CHECK-OUT Policy # R-32

As a Client Care Representative, it will be your responsibility to invoice out all clients
and collect payments.

1) Open the PVL of the patient you are checking out, and make sure that it has
an RTG code saying “ready to go” at the bottom. This shows that the client is
all set and ready to check out. Otherwise, the doctor or assistants may still be
trying to decide what medications to go home with.

2) Click invoice and click through the reminders.
3) To transfer over an additional invoice, form a different pet, click on the pet

and then click “transfer”
4) If cash, count the amount given and dispense the change if needed.

5) Hit post on the invoice in Cornerstone, click “OK”, type in your employee
password

6) Enter the amount given for payment (Don’t forget to put the decimal point on
this one!!!), if it is a card enter the exact amount. If cash, enter the amount
given.

7) Select the means of payment (Credit card payment only for all types of cards)
8) If it is a card, hit credit card payment and wait for the “Ready” cue on the

machine then have the client insert or swipe their card.
 Always print out the receipt from the card machine before posting
to ensure the payment goes through.

9) Hit yes on “print customer copy” on the credit card machine, and staple that
one to the printed-out invoice for the client.

10) Also staple a referral card with this, explaining that if they refer any client to
us, they will receive a $10 credit on their account. Remember to explain the
program too by saying “Don’t forget that every time you refer a client you
get a $10 credit on your account. 15 referrals and today’s visit would have
been free!”

11) Highlight any reminders at the bottom of their invoice. (Things like
appointment reminders, expiring vaccines, specials, etc.)

12) Remind clients about our smart phone app and the loyalty rewards program.

50