The weekend

Dr. Brooks managed to escape and have a weekend with his colleagues. Most were in solo practice as well. The question on all their minds was this: "Client numbers are down, but we are busy. Why?" No one really knew, but they agreed there were a lot of terrific new toys in the exhibit hall.

Monday morning, Springdale Animal Clinic

"Well, Doc, we are dead in the water. Susan called and is coming in to talk with you." Every vet knows what "wants to talk with you" means, coming from an employee. It means that extra time will be spent looking for and training a new employee while overworking the current staff (including the owner).

Susan appeared from the front and nervously asked for a bit of privacy. Dr. Brooks offered the exam room in resignation —knowing full well the solemn nature of the impending conversation.

Susan began quietly.

"Dr. Brooks, I have been offered a job at St. Elsewhere. It is so convenient. I just can't afford the gas to drive across town anymore."

"Can you give us two weeks' notice? I have several surgeries scheduled in the next few weeks."

"I-I am s-sorry," Susan stuttered. "I start there tomorrow."

He frowned and thought to himself, "How convenient."

Solo practice challenges

Although it may be a little premature to declare an end to solo practice, it is on its way out eventually for a number of reasons. Among the leading reasons is life-balance issues for the practitioners themselves.

Solo practice made sense in those areas (suburbia) where clients can avail themselves of many convenient choices: emergency and critical-care centers, modern boarding facilities, specialists and an array of generalists.

Solo doctors there have enjoyed the convenience of emergency centers and specialists as well, and this has worked to their advantage for a number of years now. Remember the mantra — location, location, location? It is still true today and likely will always be true.

In places where specialists and emergency clinics are further away, it is difficult for young veterinarians to get started and still maintain any semblance of a balanced life. There it makes more sense to have multiple veterinarians in one location and for practices to share emergency duties.

Another strike against solo practice is the overall ability to hire and retain key employees. Today's employees are looking for flexibility (convenience) and the possibility of promotion and stability. All that is in short supply in a solo practice. Certified technicians naturally gravitate to the bigger, multi-vet practices.

Clients have changed as well. They are much less practice-oriented and much more convenience-oriented. Multi-vet hospitals can offer the convenience orientation so much in evidence by the current customer base because they can spread client demand (convenience) over many people and hours.