How to Prepare Your Jacksonville Practice for Relief Coverage

You've made the decision to hire relief coverage—whether for a long-overdue vacation, continuing education, or maternity leave. Now comes the crucial part: preparing your practice for a smooth transition.

Many practice owners worry that bringing in relief coverage will disrupt their operations, confuse their team, or disappoint their clients. The truth? With proper preparation, relief coverage can be so seamless that clients barely notice you're gone, and your team actually appreciates the change of pace.

After years of providing relief coverage for Northeast Florida practices, I've seen what separates smooth transitions from chaotic ones. The difference isn't luck—it's preparation.

Why Preparation Matters

Poor preparation doesn't just create stress—it undermines the entire purpose of taking time off.

When practices don't prepare properly, the relief veterinarian spends days figuring out basic systems, your team wastes time answering questions that could have been addressed upfront, and you spend your "time off" fielding calls about where things are or how things work.

When practices prepare well, the relief veterinarian arrives ready to work efficiently from day one, your team feels confident and supported, clients experience continuity of care, and you can actually disconnect and recharge.

The few hours you invest in preparation multiply into days of stress-free coverage.

Start Early: The 4-6 Week Timeline

Begin preparing 4-6 weeks before your coverage period. This gives you time to document protocols you've never written down, communicate changes to clients gradually, and train staff on any new procedures.

Even if you're hiring emergency relief coverage on short notice, working through these steps as quickly as possible will dramatically improve the experience.

Document Your Protocols

The biggest mistake practice owners make is assuming things are "obvious" or that the relief vet will "figure it out." What feels automatic to you after years in your practice is completely foreign to someone walking in for the first time.

Medical protocols to document:

• Anesthesia preferences by species and procedure type

• Surgical prep procedures and preferred suture materials

• Pain management and post-operative protocols

• When you run in-house diagnostics versus sending out

• Standard diagnostic panels by presenting complaint

• Emergency procedures and equipment locations

• Medication protocols and controlled substance handling

Client communication protocols:

• Appointment types and time allocations

• How and when estimates are presented

• Your standard preventive care recommendations

• How you handle common client requests

• Known difficult clients and de-escalation strategies

Administrative protocols:

• Practice management system navigation and documentation standards

• Appointment scheduling and payment processing

• Laboratory ordering and result follow-up procedures

• Controlled substance log procedures

Prepare Your Team

Your team's comfort level with the relief veterinarian directly impacts how smoothly coverage goes.

Schedule a team meeting 2-3 weeks before coverage begins. Share the relief vet's name, background, and experience. Clarify who the relief vet should go to with different types of questions. Identify a point person—usually your most senior technician or practice manager.

Create a simple team resource document with the relief veterinarian's contact information, your contact information and when it's appropriate to reach you, key vendor contacts, location of important supplies and equipment, and emergency procedures.

Communicate with Your Clients

Start mentioning your upcoming absence 3-4 weeks in advance. During appointments, casually mention your dates away and who will be covering. Post professional signage in your reception area. Send a brief email or newsletter announcement framing the coverage positively.

Your confidence reassures clients. If you seem worried about coverage, they'll worry too.

Don't say "Unfortunately, I'll be gone" or "I'm sorry, but I have to..."

Do say "I'm attending a conference on [topic] to bring the latest techniques back to our practice" or "We're fortunate to have Dr. Johns covering—she brings extensive experience with..."

Some clients will want to reschedule to see you instead. This is normal. Respond graciously: "Of course, I'd be happy to see [pet name] when I return. Dr. Johns will also be here if anything urgent comes up before then."

Prepare Your Physical Space

Walk through your practice with fresh eyes and label everything important: medication storage locations, surgical equipment and supplies, controlled substance logs and keys, diagnostic equipment, and commonly used forms.

Create a simple "New Veterinarian Guide" with practice basics like WiFi passwords, alarm codes, building access information, equipment operation guides, vendor contacts, and emergency information including the nearest 24-hour facility and specialty referral hospitals.

Ensure you have sufficient supplies to last the coverage period plus a buffer. Nothing creates stress like running out of essential supplies mid-coverage.

Set Communication Protocols

Decide what level of communication works for you. Some practice owners want daily end-of-day summaries. Others prefer as-needed communication only for true emergencies. Still others want a complete handoff with no communication unless absolutely critical.

Define what constitutes an emergency requiring your immediate attention versus what the relief vet should handle independently. Clarify after-hours expectations.

Choose what allows you to actually relax while still feeling confident your practice is running well.

Plan the Transition

If possible, have your relief veterinarian come in for a half-day orientation before starting coverage. Spend the morning on systems and protocols training, have lunch for team introductions, and spend the afternoon having the relief vet shadow a few of your appointments.

This transition day investment pays enormous dividends in smooth coverage.

If a transition day isn't possible, schedule a thorough phone or video call 1-2 weeks before coverage to review protocols and systems, answer questions, and share any last-minute updates.

Create a Handoff Document

The night before coverage begins, create a concise handoff document—no more than 2-3 pages—covering current inpatients and their treatment plans, pending follow-ups and lab results, ongoing situations like clients with pets at referral centers, schedule notes, and immediate action items for the first day or two.

Your relief veterinarian doesn't need your entire practice history, just enough context to handle immediate situations effectively.

Prepare Yourself Mentally

Here's the hardest part: preparing yourself to actually let go.

Set boundaries. Resist the urge to check in constantly. Trust your team and relief vet to handle routine situations. Remember that different approaches aren't wrong—just different.

Your relief veterinarian will do some things differently than you do. This is normal and okay. Unless these differences create real problems, let them go. Diversity in approach can actually benefit your practice by exposing your team to new perspectives.

Don't schedule your return for the busiest day of the week. Give yourself a buffer day to review what happened during your absence, catch up on medical records, check in with team members, and address any issues that arose.

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting until the last minute to start preparing. Start 4-6 weeks out, not 4-6 days.

Assuming things are "obvious" or "common sense." Document everything explicitly.

Not involving your team early enough. Your team needs time to prepare mentally and practically.

Failing to communicate with clients in advance. Surprise coverage creates client anxiety.

Under-stocking supplies. Better to have too much than run out mid-coverage.

Not setting clear communication expectations. Ambiguity creates stress for everyone.

Being available 24/7 "just in case." This defeats the entire purpose of taking time off.

The Payoff

When you invest time in proper preparation, you create actual time off where you can disconnect and recharge, confidence that your practice is in capable hands, and return to work feeling refreshed rather than more stressed.

Your team gets clear expectations and reduced stress, a positive experience with relief coverage, and pride in their practice running smoothly.

Your relief veterinarian can provide excellent care from day one with efficient workflow and clear understanding of your expectations.

Your clients experience seamless continuity of care with minimal disruption and a positive impression of the relief veterinarian.

Making It Easier Next Time

Here's the best part: Most of this preparation only needs to happen once.

After your first relief coverage period, your protocols are documented, your team knows what to expect, your clients have experienced coverage successfully, and your systems are refined and ready.

The second, third, and subsequent coverage periods become exponentially easier. Many of my long-term relief relationships require almost no preparation because we've built that familiarity over time.

But it all starts with that first thorough preparation.

Ready to Plan Your Coverage?

Preparing your Jacksonville practice for relief coverage doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right approach and adequate lead time, you can set up a smooth transition that benefits everyone—yourself, your team, your clients, and your patients.

If you're planning vacation, maternity leave, continuing education, or any other coverage need, I'm here to help make the process as seamless as possible. My experience with Northeast Florida practices means I understand local workflows, systems, and expectations.

Let's discuss your practice's specific needs and create a preparation plan that sets us both up for success.

Contact Dr. Johns To Schedule A Consultation