Redraw your problems

Let's take a look at your hospital. What challenges does it face? How are you solving them? How is your solution working?

Often we all solve problems by going backwards. We do this because the past was where the problem doesn't exist. Here and now the problem does exist, so clearly we need to go back to where the problem didn't exist and double down on what worked then.

Of course, there is at least a fifty percent chance that you will be doubling down on the very solution that got you where you are today. If you're lucky your solution will merely be ineffective as opposed to actively digging your hole deeper.

Lets look at a common complaint in veterinary medicine: declining veterinary visits. Now a simple solution to this may be that fewer people are finding your hospital, so the next time the Yellow Pages guy comes in to re-up your ad, you make it bigger. Ta da! Problem solved. Only, it's not, because several things were left out of this very simple equation.

Putting a bigger ad in the Yellow Pages is akin to doubling the number of smoke signals you send. No one is seeing them. Second, you are assuming that fewer visits mean fewer new clients, what if it has nothing to do with new clients? Maybe you have less loyal clients, or your clients are going to shot clinics, or your clients hate your receptionist.

There are a thousand reasons that you could have declining visits, and doing anything before you know why is akin to treating a disease before diagnosing it: you could get lucky, but it isn't likely.  Additionally, doubling down on what you're currently doing may lock you into a situation that closes other doors. That Yellow Pages money would be better served on Google, or a better website, or hiring a new receptionist, or training your staff to schedule clients for their next appointment as clients are leaving.

You can guess what's happening all you want "The shot clinic is stealing my clients!" But the solution has to lie within your control, so the problem needs to be within your control. If you externalize the problem (shot clinics) you externalize the solution (you need to burn down the shot clinic).

Internalizing solutions can be hard, but that needs to be your default position. Once again, I encourage you to tell your staff what you think, either one on one or in a meeting. Ask them what they would do to help you raise client visits - after all, hopefully they see a correlation between your success and their paychecks. Be leery, however, of a group solution if you believe that one or more employees are part of the problem. They may open up privately to you, but in this case you may be better off bringing in a disinterested party to help you sort out your issues.

Be aware too that the answers could be very complex and involve more than one moving part. But the only way to solve the problem is to properly diagnose it.