Deanna Barton
Forest,VA
Summary
Dynamic Veterinary Hospital Manager with a proven track record at Gentle Care Animal Hospital, enhancing operational efficiency and client satisfaction. Skilled in inventory management and employee training, I foster a collaborative environment while implementing effective protocols. My strong communication and problem-solving abilities have consistently improved patient care standards and team performance.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Veterinary Hospital Manager
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
Forest, VA
09.2019 - Current
- Managed 20+ employees
- Streamlined hospital operations, enhancing workflow efficiency and patient care processes.
- Mentored staff in best practices for animal care and customer service excellence.
- Implemented inventory management systems, reducing waste and optimizing supply usage.
- Developed training programs for new hires, improving onboarding experience and retention rates.
- Coordinated scheduling for veterinary staff, ensuring adequate coverage during peak hours.
- Established protocols for client communication, enhancing satisfaction and engagement levels.
- Analyzed financial reports to identify trends, supporting budget forecasting and resource allocation decisions.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to expand service offerings and improve overall hospital performance.
- Managed financial aspects of the hospital, including budget planning, expense tracking, and ensuring proper billing procedures were followed.
- Maximized available space within the hospital; utilizing creative solutions for storage organization while maintaining a comfortable environment for patients.
- Handled difficult situations calmly; navigating challenging conversations with clients regarding end-of-life decisions or financial constraints.
- Boosted hospital revenue by promoting additional services such as grooming, boarding, and dental cleanings to clients during appointments.
- Streamlined inventory management for cost-effective ordering, maintaining an organized supply room and reducing waste.
- Increased client satisfaction with compassionate care, timely follow-ups, and thorough explanations of treatment plans.
- Contributed to employee retention through effective hiring practices, ongoing training programs, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
- Maintained a safe work environment by enforcing strict adherence to safety protocols and regularly updating essential equipment.
- Encouraged continued professional development among staff members through educational resources; promoting certifications relevant to their roles.
- Adapted hospital protocols in response to industry changes and emerging trends; ensuring the facility remained at the forefront of veterinary care standards.
- Maintained a high standard of cleanliness throughout the facility; ensuring regular deep cleans to prevent cross contamination.
- Enhanced team communication by conducting regular staff meetings and providing clear expectations for daily tasks.
- Provided consistent leadership and direction; fostering an environment of teamwork, collaboration, and open communication among staff members.
- Resolved customer complaints professionally and efficiently while promoting a satisfactory outcome for both parties involved.
- Ensured regulatory compliance by staying current on industry standards, maintaining accurate records, and promptly addressing any issues or gaps in protocol.
- Optimized workflow efficiency with strategic delegation of tasks based on individual skillsets and strengths within the team.
- Established and maintained effective communication with staff, physicians and community organizations to promote high quality patient care.
- Recruited, hired and trained all staff, providing direct supervision, ongoing staff development and continuing education to employees.
- Communicated with patients, ensuring that medical information was kept private.
- Conducted routine facility inspections, identifying areas needing improvement and eliminating hazards posed to staff and residents for continued compliance with associated regulations.
- Discussed medical histories with patients in effort to provide most effective medical advice.
- Discharged charts to ensure all services and notes were recorded and invoiced accordingly for boarders, groomers, surgeries, relief vets, part time vets, and drop offs.
- Held monthly meetings with vendor representatives discussing products and savings.
- Minor IT repairs when computers, weave credit card terminals, phones, lab equipment, dental radiograph computer, laundry, or grooming equipment malfunctioned.
- Maintained phone service overrides for hospital regarding closures and delays to keep clients informed.
- Paid vendor bills.
- Prepared appropriate records to send for referrals to specialists, boarders staying at third party boarding facilities, patients transferring to another clinic, and patients going to a third party groomer.
- Purchased all inventory for hospital (office supplies, vaccines, medications, diagnostic tests, diagnostic supplies, and equipment).
- Issued refunds needed to clients.
- Prepared hospital how to manuals for all departments.
- Maintained hospital employee manual.
- Monitored appointment and boarding schedules for any errors and made corrections accordingly.
- Handled all workers compensation claims when employee was injured on site.
- Signed and handed out paychecks to employees.
- Emailed payroll paperwork for owner to accountant.
- Established marketing procedures to increase revenues.
- Ensured staff received proper training, prepared employee reviews, and prepared employee manuals.
- Planned and organized monthly management and team meetings.
- Ensure hospital operated in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
- Familiar with MS Office applications to further organize office operations.
- Ability to coordinate care efforts and pertinent records with local animal care facilities as needed.
- Solid ability to adeptly handle multiple tasks.
- Strong verbal and written communication abilities. Especially adept at prioritizing patient needs and handling necessary paperwork.
- Responded to patient questions in a professional manner.
- Maintained communications with nearby animal hospitals.
- Tracked patient accounting history and preapred collection reports for outstanding payments.
- Arranged external consultations for additional animal care as necessary.
- Generated and reviewed incident reports, including employee write-ups, actualizing appropriate corrective action plans to mitigate ongoing and potential situtaions.
- Responsible for marketing, including consulting with company website designers.
Kennel Manager
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
Forest, VA
05.2018 - 06.2021
- Supervised daily operations of kennel, ensuring animal welfare and safety standards were met.
- Trained and mentored staff in proper animal handling techniques and kennel management practices.
- Developed and implemented efficient scheduling systems for staff and animal care routines.
- Conducted regular health assessments of animals, coordinating with veterinary team for necessary treatments.
- Enhanced cleanliness protocols, resulting in improved hygiene across facilities and reduced illness rates among animals.
- Conducted facility tours for potential clients, showcasing the high-quality services provided at the kennel.
- Ensured cleanliness of facilities by establishing a rigorous cleaning schedule, improving overall hygiene levels.
- Oversaw care, grooming and medication of pets during temporary kennel stays.
- Improved kennel operations by implementing efficient scheduling and staff management strategies.
- Enhanced animal care standards through regular monitoring and updating of health protocols.
- Developed schedule for kennel assistants to balance walking, feeding and socializing needs of animals in care.
- Oversaw hiring processes for new staff members, ensuring a well-equipped team that maintained high standards of care.
- Led team meetings to discuss updates, provide training, and address any concerns or issues within the facility.
- Consistently evaluated current practices for areas of improvement, making necessary adjustments to optimize productivity within the facility.
- Implemented safety measures to minimize risks of accidents or injuries among staff members and animals.
- Provided excellent customer service by addressing client inquiries promptly and professionally.
- Established emergency protocols for handling unforeseen situations involving animals or staff members efficiently.
- Handled client questions, concerns, or complaints in a professional and timely manner.
- Assessed patient behavior to determine if they were too aggressive to board, formerly informing owner if patient was unwelcome to board in future at our facility due to aggression.
Veterinary Assistant
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
Forest, VA
05.2015 - 05.2018
- Assisted veterinarians in patient examinations and treatment procedures.
- Monitored inventory of medical supplies and maintained cleanliness of facilities to relay to Hospital Manager if we were low on inventory.
- Monitored animal health, reported changes, and ensured accurate medical records.
- Positioned animals for diagnostic imaging such as x-rays and scans.
- Assisted in the administration of medications and treatments as prescribed by the veterinarian.
- Enhanced patient care by assisting veterinarians with examinations, surgeries, and diagnostic procedures.
- Cleaned and disinfected exam areas, surgical equipment, and kennels to prevent diseases and control odors.
- Provided compassionate care for animals during treatment and recovery from illnesses or injuries.
- Ensured accuracy of medical records by diligently documenting all relevant information for each patient visit.
- Administered medications to animals in treatment and documented changes in condition.
- Improved client relations through effective communication and education on pet health needs.
- Provided customer support to clients, answering questions and addressing concerns.
- Helped with training of new veterinary assistants and support staff to improve individuals' capabilities.
- Contributed to a clean and safe environment by maintaining surgical instruments, equipment, and facilities.
- Implemented proper sterilization procedures to maintain a sanitary work environment and prevent cross-contamination risks.
- Reduced stress for patients with calming techniques during exams and procedures, creating a positive experience.
- Assisted in emergency situations effectively providing first aid or life-saving measures under veterinarian supervision.
- Increased client satisfaction by addressing concerns, answering questions, and offering valuable recommendations for pet care.
- Assisted with euthanasia procedures in humanely and compassionately to minimize suffering.
- Provided compassionate care to animals during recovery and hospitalization.
- Educated pet owners on post-operative care and preventive health measures.
- Prepared histopath samples for send out to referral testing facility.
- Groomed and bathed animals to maintain hygiene and appearance.
- Provided care for animals before surgeries, administering anesthetics as necessary for overall comfort and health.
- Fostered compassionate atmosphere for animals and pet owners, easing anxiety and building trust.
- Increased effectiveness of pet owner communications, providing clear instructions for at-home care and medication administration.
- Reduced stress for animals undergoing treatment, employing gentle handling techniques and creating calm environment.
- Ensured optimal animal care by assisting in surgeries, which included preparing operating rooms, sterilizing instruments, and providing post-operative care.
- Prepared animals for surgery, including pre-operative care and post-operative monitoring.
- Assisted veterinarians during examinations, surgeries, and procedures, ensuring smooth operation of the veterinary clinic.
- Encouraged preventive care, increasing number of pets receiving timely vaccinations and health screenings.
- Streamlined patient admission and discharge processes for increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Restrained animals for examination and treatment.
- Assisted in examination and treatment of animals in veterinary clinic.
- Admitted patients for drop offs, boarding, and surgical procedures.
- Collected and processed samples for laboratory testing.
- Prepared and administered diets and feedings according to instructions.
Veterinary Receptionist
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
Forest, VA
08.2012 - 08.2016
- Managed client scheduling and appointment coordination to optimize workflow efficiency.
- Provided exceptional customer service, addressing client inquiries and concerns effectively.
- Processed patient information and maintained accurate medical records using veterinary software systems.
- Managed multi-line phone system and pleasantly greeted patients.
- Facilitated smooth daily operations by answering incoming calls, directing inquiries, and taking messages for veterinarians as needed.
- Provided compassionate support during difficult situations such as end-of-life decisions or emergency visits, establishing trust with clients.
- Maintained office and waiting room, keeping common areas clean and tidy.
- Reduced wait times for clients by promptly checking in patients upon arrival at the clinic.
- Assisted veterinarians in providing timely care to patients through effective communication and coordination of services.
- Improved client retention by providing exceptional customer service to pet owners in person and over the phone.
- Assisted in training new staff members on reception procedures and software systems, contributing to overall team success.
- Entered data from pet records and office visits into computer system.
- Fielded phone calls from pet owners, answered questions and took messages for veterinarians.
- Greeted pet parents with warm smile and pleasantly asked for sign-ins upon arrival.
- Coordinated patient scheduling, check-in, check-out and payments for billing.
- Streamlined office operations for increased efficiency by organizing files and maintaining a clean reception area.
- Ensured timely follow-up on outstanding invoices, improving overall collection rates within the clinic.
- Transcribed phone messages and relayed to appropriate personnel.
- Kept waiting room neat and organized by stacking magazines, removing trash, and cleaning glass.
- Helped patients complete necessary medical forms and documentation.
- Greeted and interacted with patients to provide information, answer questions and assist with appointment scheduling.
- Scheduled patient appointments in respective doctors' calendars and followed up with reminder phone calls.
- Answered telephone calls to offer office information, answer questions, and direct calls to staff.
- Received and routed laboratory results to correct clinical staff members.
- Frequently double-checked patient histories and current information while scheduling follow-ups and other appointments.
- Obtained payments from patients and scanned identification and insurance cards.
- Processed medical insurance claims and payments.
- Filled medications.
- Processed payments.
- Checked in boarders and groomers.
- Requested records for appointments.
- Faxed or called in prescription requests.
- Filed patient charts.
- Recorded conversations with clients into appropriate patient file.
Kennel Worker
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
Forest, VA
04.2010 - 08.2013
- Provided daily care for animals, ensuring hygiene and health standards were maintained.
- Monitored animal behavior and reported any health concerns to veterinary staff promptly.
- Assisted in administering medications and treatments as directed by veterinarians.
- Maintained clean and safe kennel environments through efficient cleaning procedures.
- Trained new staff on animal handling techniques and safety protocols effectively.
- Developed streamlined feeding schedules to improve consistency in pet care routines.
- Ensured animal safety with proper handling techniques and adherence to facility guidelines.
- Cared for physical and psychological needs of animals with regular walks.
- Promoted a safe environment for both employees and animals by consistently following established workplace safety protocols.
- Maintained sanitary conditions for animals by cleaning living spaces and cages according to VA health code guidelines.
- Monitored and maintained food and water of boarded animals according to animal dietary health guidelines.
- Contributed to a positive workplace culture by embracing teamwork, demonstrating flexibility in daily tasks, and supporting colleagues in their responsibilities.
- Expedited emergency situations by remaining calm under pressure, quickly assessing circumstances, and taking appropriate action as needed.
- Facilitated smooth check-in/check-out processes for clients while ensuring all necessary documentation was completed accurately.
- Enhanced animal well-being by providing daily care, including feeding, cleaning, grooming, and exercising.
- Collaborated with veterinary staff to develop tailored care plans for animals with specific medical needs or behavioral challenges during their stay at the kennel facility.
- Cleaned and maintained kennel areas for optimized hygiene, including cages, runs and yards.
- Mixed and administered special food formulas to individual animals based on unique dietary needs.
- Recorded dogs' intake and output, physical condition and behavior for updated kennel logs.
- Minimized animal injury risk by monitoring behaviors and eliminating safety hazards.
- Followed pet care instructions for dietary needs and medication regimens.
- Kept cages, kennels, play yards, and grooming areas neat and clean.
- Monitored animals for behavioral problems and signs of health issues.
- Documented animals' weight, size and condition in computer system for review by senior staff.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Lynchburg College
Lynchburg05-2017
Bachelor of Science - Science
New River Community College
Dublin, Virginia, VA05-2014
Skills
- Microsoft office skills
- Strong customer service
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving abilities
- Adept multitasking abilities
- Reliability
- Excellent communication
- Critical thinking
- Organizational skills
- Active listening
- Effective communication
- Adept verbal and written communication
- Training and mentoring
- Analytical thinking
- Vaccination protocols
- Employee training
- Patient care standards
- Waste disposal management
- Euthanasia procedures
- Scheduling coordination
- Diagnostic procedures
- Delegation
- Facility maintenance
- Performance evaluations
- Dental procedures
- Parasite control
- Laboratory testing
- Surgical assistance
- Human resources
- Radiology techniques
- Animal handling
- Anesthesia monitoring
- Animal care
- Workplace safety
- Recruitment and hiring
- Staff evaluation
- Emergency preparedness
- Schedule coordination
- Practice operations oversight
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Conflict resolution
- Problem identification
- Operations management
- Employee recruitment and hiring
- Staff management
- Inventory management
- Multi line phone skills
- Basic IT repair skills
- Cash Handling
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Elementary
References
Don McFerren
Highpoint Healthcare Advisors
(919) 271-1747
Timeline
Veterinary Hospital Manager
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
09.2019 - Current
Kennel Manager
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
05.2018 - 06.2021
Veterinary Assistant
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
05.2015 - 05.2018
Veterinary Receptionist
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
08.2012 - 08.2016
Kennel Worker
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
04.2010 - 08.2013
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Lynchburg College
Bachelor of Science - Science
New River Community College