The Veterinary Patient Care Coordinator is the first point of contact for clients seeking care for their pets and plays a critical role in preserving access to care through a patient-centered, compassionate scheduling philosophy. This role requires veterinary medical knowledge to appropriately triage appointment needs, assess urgency, and collaborate with hospital teams using a “Yes First” scheduling approach—seeking solutions before saying no.
Every interaction is an opportunity to help a pet in need today. Unanswered calls or unnecessary scheduling barriers represent missed opportunities for care. This role balances medical judgment, empathy, and operational efficiency to ensure pets receive timely, appropriate care while supporting hospital capacity and team sustainability.
Key Responsibilities
Client Communication & Scheduling
Answer inbound calls promptly and professionally, representing the organization with warmth, empathy, and confidence
Use veterinary medical knowledge to assess presenting concerns and triage appointment needs appropriately
Schedule appointments accurately across multiple veterinary hospitals, providers, and service lines
Identify urgent, same-day, and priority cases and collaborate with hospital teams to ensure appropriate placement
Gather relevant client and patient history to support safe and effective scheduling decisions
Educate clients on next steps, appointment expectations, and basic medical or procedural guidance (within scope)
Manage reschedules, cancellations, and follow-up calls to optimize access to care
Compassionate Care & Experience
Apply a patient-centered, compassionate scheduling mindset, prioritizing access to care whenever medically and operationally possible
Lead with a “Yes First” approach—exploring all appropriate options before declining or deferring care
Recognize that every call represents a pet in need and approach each interaction with urgency, empathy, and accountability
Clearly and calmly explain scheduling decisions, next steps, and care options to clients
Support clients through emotionally charged situations with professionalism, compassion, and clarity
De-escalate concerns while maintaining focus on patient safety and timely care
Hospital Collaboration
Partner closely with hospital leadership, medical teams, and front desk staff to understand daily capacity, medical workflows, and service offerings
Communicate clearly regarding case urgency, special medical considerations, and client expectations
Adjust scheduling strategies based on real-time hospital feedback and patient care priorities
Serve as a liaison between clients and hospitals to ensure continuity, clarity, and compassionate care delivery
Proactive Schedule Optimization
Proactively protect and expand access to care by keeping hospital schedules full and responsive
Conduct outbound calls to past-due, recall, and deferred clients to offer timely appointments
Identify opportunities to move patients into earlier openings when clinically appropriate
Monitor schedules in real time to minimize unused capacity and reduce barriers to same-day or near-term care
Partner with hospitals to creatively solve scheduling challenges while maintaining patient safety and team wellbeing
Documentation & Systems
Accurately document all client interactions, appointments, and notes in practice management systems
Follow established scripts, workflows, and quality standards
Protect client and patient confidentiality at all times
Qualifications
Required
High school diploma or equivalent
Veterinary medical knowledge is required (e.g., experience in a veterinary hospital, clinic, or medical call center)
1+ year of experience in veterinary medicine, healthcare scheduling, or a medical call center environment
Ability to assess presenting complaints and triage appointment urgency appropriately
Strong verbal communication, active listening, and clinical judgment skills
Ability to multitask, prioritize, and remain composed in high-volume, emotionally charged situations
Comfort using multiple computer systems and technology platforms
Preferred
Experience in veterinary medicine, healthcare scheduling, or medical call centers
Familiarity with practice management software
Demonstrated experience handling emotionally sensitive conversations
Skills & Competencies
Patient-centered decision making
Compassionate, solution-oriented scheduling
Clear, confident, and empathetic communication
Strong veterinary medical judgment within scope
Ownership mindset: treating every call as an opportunity to help a pet in need
Collaboration and trust-building with hospital teams
Adaptability in fast-paced, high-acuity environments