Hospital Medical Leader

About the role

The Hospital Medical Leader position is dedicated to leading the veterinary team in providing top-notch veterinary care to Petco's Vetco Total Care full-service hospital patients. This role also focuses on delivering exceptional customer care to their owners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the hospital veterinarian team.
• Partner with the Hospital Office Manager to provide cohesive and collaborative leadership to the entire hospital team.
• Mentor and coach hospital veterinarians to drive continuous improvement in clinical skills, client communication, team collaboration, and standard of care.
• Ensure strict compliance with Petco Medical SOPs and all applicable laws and regulations.
• Understand and assure compliance with state practice act requirements for full-service veterinary hospitals.
• Conduct veterinarian candidate interviewing and onboarding.
• Participate in hospital partner interviews.
• Create veterinarian schedule, identify potential gaps, and partner with the Hospital Office Manager and field leadership to correct.
• Closely monitor hospital performance, and in partnership with the Hospital Office Manager and field leadership, identify areas of opportunity to drive business results through exceptional quality of care and client communication.
• Review P&L monthly reporting, and partner with the Hospital Office Manager and field Leadership to increase revenue growth and exceed financial targets set by finance team through ensuring a high level of both quality and efficiency.
• Conduct regular review of hospital electronic medical records regarding patient decisions and provide feedback and direction to hospital veterinarians as a means to elevate patient care.
• Maintain and be responsible for ordering, inventory, recording, and reporting of all controlled substances and keep the hospital in compliance with state and federal DEA regulations.
• Promote a strong culture of safety for team, clients, and patients.
• Partner with the Hospital Office Manager for hospital radiation safety training and compliance.
• Provide excellent patient care by performing physical examinations, diagnosing and treating diseases, and providing preventive care according to patient signalment, lifestyle, and environment.
• Utilize a problem-based approach that includes developing a complete problem list for every patient examined, a complete list of differential diagnoses for each problem identified, a complete diagnostic plan, and appropriate treatments based on interpretation of diagnostic test results leading to confirmed or suspected diagnoses.
• Document all patient observations, findings of exams and diagnostics, treatments and medications, client interactions, and tentative and confirmed diagnoses in the medical record in a concise and detailed fashion, according to practice convention.
• Perform routine and complex surgical procedures including (but not limited to) spays/neuters, exploratory laparotomy, and mass removals.
• Perform routine and complex dental procedures including full dental examination, evaluation of dental radiographs, as well as simple and complex extractions and oral surgical procedures.
• Develop treatment plans for patients undergoing daytime hospitalization utilizing a complete problem-based assessment. Transition patients to overnight care as needed and communicate effectively with referral hospitals and clients to ensure continuity of patient care.
• Participate in rounds as incoming or exiting doctor at beginning and end of shifts.
• Disseminate knowledge throughout the team to improve the level of care and communication provided by the hospital, to both the patient and the client.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Hold and maintain any required state premise permits or hospital vendor accounts as needed.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or equivalent degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school.
• 1-3 years minimum of clinical veterinary experience.
• Experience mentoring and coaching veterinarians preferred.
• Active licensure as a veterinarian without contingencies in the state in which the hospital is located or ability to obtain by start date.
• Current DEA license.
• Current Controlled Substance License, if applicable, in state in which the hospital is located or ability to obtain by start date.
• USDA Category I (minimum) Accreditation or completion within two months of hire date.
• Strong skills performing anesthesia and routine surgeries including but not limited to: canine and feline spays, neuters, mass removals, and dental cleanings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Compassionate and sympathetic, and able to maintain a professional attitude and demeanor during emotional and stressful situations.
• Telephone and computer skills.
• Willingness to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.