9 appropriate based upon cytology and even a different line item for ANTI-INFLAMATORY ORAL , if appropriate based upon discomfort . Finally , a line item for STANDARD RECHECK in 7 days ; sooner if appropriate . These line items among others are keys for the doctor and staff . If a doctor forgets something , a staff member is encouraged to ask , “ Doc , what about ….?”
In a multi-doctor practice , protocols are even more important . Why ? Remember the quote at the top ? Multi-doctor practices encourage inconsistency because of the tendency for different doctors to have different approaches to the same condition . In the example above , the same ear condition in the same dog seen by different doctors could have different treatment plans . A protocol helps doctors come closer to similar treatment plans without removing their autonomy . Additionally , it helps the staff have a consistent baseline for all doctors .
The bottom line on why protocols are imperative is to provide consistent standards of care within the practice . You don ’ t want clients asking for the conservative doctor and the more aggressive doctor ; the cheaper doctor or the more expensive doctor ; you want to minimize the difference in care while maximizing the quality of care .
This standard of care has another huge benefitlong-term case management . If one doctor sees a case one time and a different doctor sees the case for follow up , the optimal outcome is that they follow the same path for the patient and client . What is the message to a client when Dr . A sees a case on Tuesday and ten days later Dr . B sees the recheck and says , “ Hmm …. looks like Dr . A forgot to do this and that . And I ’ m not sure I would have done it that way .” There is an inherent message of disconnect within the practice and between doctors . And if you ’ re not consistent … well there is a greater chance that client is going somewhere else .
Besides consistent care , protocols allow for the creation of client education handouts that communicate the practice ’ s approach for a diagnosis or condition that is consistent from doctor to doctor and understood by the entire staff . Communication is a huge cause for legal or veterinary medical board actions and inconsistent communication within a practice leads to a significant level of distrust that supports these actions . Use protocols to build client communication tools that all doctors and staff support and agree with . They then support consistent communication between doctors , between doctors and staff , and between the hospital and clients .
Finally , a clinical protocol can readily be translated into a healthcare plan ( aka Estimate ). In fact , in many practices , the healthcare plan is created to act as the protocol . What I mean by this , is that a healthcare plan will be so detailed that the doctor using it can use it as their checklist . A healthcare plan for a Basic Ear Infection with no other issues may include :
• Complete physical examination
• Otoscopic exam to assess canal and ear drum ( Picture of canal before )
• Pull culture and sensitivity pending cytol ogy
• Ear cytology ( AD , AS , AU )
• Submit culture based upon cytology
• Ear clean without sedation / Ear clean with sedation ( Picture of canal after )
• Topical medication based upon cytology TGH
• Antibiotic based upon cytology TGH
• Anti-inflammatory based upon presenta tion injectable
• Anti-inflammatory based upon presenta tion oral TGH
• Ear cleaner TGH
• Basic Ear Infection Go Home Instructions