In this episode of The Business of Practice podcast, Caitlin Heller, LVT, joined us to discuss how equine practices can utilize remote administrators for office functions.
Within the last decade, many equine practices have struggled to find competent, knowledgeable employees to fill administrative and customer service roles in their practices. As such, it has become more common to hire remote team members with strong equine knowledge and deep familiarity with the tasks. Heller works for two very different equine practices and fills different roles at each.
For the larger practice, Heller’s responsibilities include entering and filling out new client paperwork, admission forms, and lab results. She cross-checks invoices to ensure lab testing was invoiced and confirms the practice management system has up-to-date pricing codes. She also does service invoicing for one doctor based on their clinical notes. For the smaller practice, Heller works as the practice manager, handling accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll. She also assists with client communication and handles Coggins submission forms, health certificates, online pharmacy scripts, and vaccine invoicing.
Heller stays organized by utilizing separate large notebooks for each practice and creating daily to-do lists. She works dedicated hours for each practice.
Heller previously worked in person before transitioning to remote work. “In my experience in being both remote and working in person, while working in the clinic I definitely got into the state of just putting out fires as issues came up,” she said. “But it seems like this remote work allows for clear recognition of issues and the time and bandwidth to be able to fix them or even prevent them. So, you can be more involved with fire prevention than putting out fires.”
During the episode, Heller discussed compensation, expectations, and deliverables for remote workers. In closing, she said, “Always consider those employees who may have left for reasons outside of your control, like family or even relocation, because those who already have a working knowledge of how your practice works will be the easiest and likely happiest to integrate back into the practice in a remote setting.”
About Caitlin Heller
Caitlin Heller, LVT, is currently employed as a remote administrator for several practices, as well as for the sustainability group Decade One. Previously, she served over 15 years as an equine ambulatory technician and then a surgery technician at Rhinebeck Equine in the Hudson Valley of New York, followed by a year at Katy Equine Clinic in Texas.
Heller grew up in Dutchess County, New York, and was active in eventing, horse showing, and Pony Club, where she earned her B rating and competed in several championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Marist College, she began her career in veterinary medicine and later earned her vet tech degree. She currently resides in Western North Carolina with her fiancé; her dog, Dolly; and her Quarter Horse, Sparky.
Related Reading
- How To Have a Conversation About Compensation and Benefits in Equine Practice
- Creating a Strategic Plan for Practice Growth
- Hiring Your First Staff Member at Your Equine Practice
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