Sylvana Salgado

• Support veterinarians, veterinary technicians, assistants, and kennel staff in daily hospital operations.
• Manage appointment scheduling, coordinated check-in/check-out, and maintained accurate patient records using electronic medical record systems.
• Provide exceptional customer service and improve client retention by addressing inquiries and concerns regarding animal care and services.
• Assist with administrative tasks, including creating invoices, billing and insurance processing for veterinary services.
• Manage multi-line phone system efficiently, directing clients to appropriate personnel as needed to enhance communication,and taking messages for veterinarians as needed.
• Educate pet owners on vaccination schedules, preventive care, and post-treatment instructions for optimal pet health.
• Process veterinary prescription refills, including flea/tick and heartworm preventatives and other medications; review refill eligibility through the hospital's online pharmacy when authorized.
• Support inventory management by tracking supplies and placing orders to ensure availability of necessary materials.
• Provide compassionate support during difficult situations such as end-of-life decisions or emergency visits, establishing trust with clients.
• Maintain familiarity with veterinary terminology and medical records using Cornerstone; communicate with clients through Otto and document pertinent client conversations and patient information.
• Voluntarily support kennel operations during holiday closures to care for boarding patients when the hospital is closed.
• Assisted in training new staff members on reception procedures and software systems, contributing to overall team success.
• Assist with animal handling and restraint during appointments; prepare exam rooms; assist with dental cleanings and occasional radiographs, urine, fecal, and blood specimens and coordinate laboratory submissions.
• Contributed to positive a positive work environment through excellent teamwork and collaboration with staff members.

• Lead day-to-day non-clinical pharmacy operations, workflow, staffing, patient service, inventory, compliance, technology/process implementation, and administrative activities in collaboration with the Pharmacy Manager and pharmacists.

• Directly train 3 full-time, 2 part-time pharmacy technicians, 3 pharmacy customer service associates, and 2 pharmacists on non-clinical operations, SOPs, workflow changes, and operational standards.

•Optimized workflow processes within the pharmacy to reduce wait times for patients without compromising accuracy or safety standards in prescription fulfillment.

•Address patient complaints promptly and professionally, working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals as needed to resolve issues satisfactorily for all parties involved.

• Manage pharmacy technician interviewing, hiring, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, performance management, and discipline; collaborate with the Pharmacy Manager on clinical-error performance issues.

• Manage weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual pharmacy labor planning within corporate hour budgets, balancing staffing requirements with workflow and service goals.

•Implemented inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and minimize waste.

• Resolve complex third-party insurance claims and rejects involving multiple insurance companies such as Florida Blue Cross, United Healthcare, Cigna, Express Scripts, Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid, and other payers.

• Coordinate and manage prior authorization requests, collaborating with insurance providers, prescribers, and patients to facilitate timely access to medications.

• Participate in third-party pharmacy audits by retrieving hard-copy prescriptions, accessing electronic prescription records, and guiding auditors through systems to locate prescription dates, prescriber information, and supporting documentation.

• Oversee annual and controlled-substance inventory activities and manage daily controlled-substance processes, including filling, dispensing, inventory counts, audits, documentation, and security safeguards.

• Analyze and own pharmacy performance metrics and goals, including prescription promise time, refill/pickup measures, phone hold time, patient-call favorability, and vaccine performance goals, and identify areas for process improvement and implement strategic initatives.

• Partner with pharmacists to maintain regulatory compliance, Good Faith Dispensing standards, continuous quality improvement processes, error reporting, asset protection, diversion monitoring, and required records.

• Educate patients on vaccination benefits and build trust through knowledgeable, compassionate communication; recognized as a COVID-19 First Responder for vaccine administration during the pandemic.

• Selected by corporate leadership to conduct and lead monthly pharmacy training modules and provide district-wide technician training across approximately 15 stores, supporting consistent operational standards and development.

• Have trained 10+ technicians who subsequently advanced to higher-level roles within Walgreens or elsewhere; currently developing technicians toward PTCB certification and Senior Pharmacy Technician promotions, and currently mentoring junior staff, fostering professional development and enhancing team performance standards.

I have been an employee for Walgreens since November 2009 and have steadily moved up in the company. I started as a Customer Service Associate and was promoted to Shift Lead in 2012. I formed an interest in pharmacy, and went to train in the pharmacy in 2014. I became a registered pharmacy technician in 2015 and then certified in 2016. After becoming certified, I took on the position of bedside pharmacy technician where I delivered prescriptions to hospital patients and worked alongside nurses, doctors, and hospital staff. In 2018, I was promoted to senior pharmacy technician which prepared me to take on the role as the Operations Manager in 2021.

While shadowing Dr. Carmelo Foti, I have:

• Observed veterinary procedures and diagnostics, enhancing understanding of animal care and hospital operations.
• Assisted in patient handling, ensuring comfort and safety during examinations and treatments.
• Shadowed during consultations, gaining insights on client communication and service delivery.
• Inquired about animal behavior assessments, enhancing knowledge of effective diagnosis techniques.
• Engaged with staff to understand daily workflows, contributing to efficient team collaboration.

Shadowed Dr. Larry Shaffer during equine reproductive season for
approximately 40 hours. Gained hands-on understanding of large
animal reproductive health and seasonal management.

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• Dean's List Fall 2024
• Tri-Alpha National Honor Society Member
• National Honor Society of Leadership and Success Member
• University of Central Florida Pre-Veterinary Society Member
• University of Central Florida Puerto Rican Student Association Member
• "Excellence in Action Award" presented by the University of Central Florida
• "COVID First Responder Award" presented by Walgreens

• Dean's List Spring and Fall 2020