Study on technician utilization continues

Utilizing credentialed technicians to the full extent of their abilities offers a wide array of benefits—starting with the fact that technicians cite lack of utilization as a top reason for leaving the profession, as noted in the 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines.

Practices that have gone through the accreditation process may recall AAHA’s points-based standards that encourage practices to allow credentialed technicians (including specialty technicians) to handle certain tasks, such as performing, training, and supervising activities related to patient care. The standards also stipulate that surgical assistants are credentialed veterinary technicians, veterinarians, or veterinary students.

These standards are based on the idea that proper tech utilization optimizes team efficiency, which not only improves team spirit and the care patients receive but also increases access to care while helping to decrease turnover.

And let’s not ignore the significant boost tech utilization can offer to your business’s bottom line. The Technician Utilization Guidelines note that practices in which veterinarians rarely perform the tasks that credentialed techs can perform show an average revenue increase of 36%.

Research participation opportunity

So, if we understand how important technician utilization is, the question remains: Why aren’t all practices allowing their technicians to perform all tasks they’re licensed to do?

The Technician Utilization Guidelines cite lack of knowledge about what tasks and procedures credentialed veterinary technicians are legally allowed to perform in their area, along with the fact that many practices simply haven’t developed plans and protocols that integrate technician utilization. Research on tech utilization performed by Cornell University and funded by AVMA found that some technician respondents felt they had the skills, but not the opportunity to put them to use, while others reported that they were being asked to do work requiring skills they don’t feel qualified to use.

That AVMA-funded research is about to enter a new phase—one where you might have the opportunity to weigh in. Practices interested in taking part in the second phase of this research have until December 1 to sign up by filling out this Cornell University survey.

Participating practices will need to have their business manager, veterinarians, and technicians complete a series of short surveys, which will be shared over the course of several months starting early next year. Afterward, those participants will receive a report on the findings, along with recommendations for how they can improve on the utilization of technicians in their practice.

Photo credit: electravk / E+ via Getty Images

Disclaimer: The views expressed, and topics discussed, in any NEWStat column or article are intended to inform, educate, or entertain, and do not represent an official position by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.