"That experience really solidified in me that I wanted to make sure Rally became a permanent staple in our day-to-day practice."
Dr. Heather Lee

Heather Lee, DVM, DABVP, is one of two board-certified ABVP DVMs working the ER night shift at North Dallas Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital (NDVESH). NDVESH opened in spring 2023, and Rally has been a core part of the practice almost from the start. For all new hires, it's added into training and expectations from day one.

How has Rally changed your practice day-to-day?

When they first onboarded, the Hound team sent a welcome package with physical "boop" stickers, and they've become a badge of honor at NDVESH.

"We physically will go around and 'boop' each other and it's not uncommon, by the end of your shift, to have a few boops on your shoulder. The staff love it."
Dr. Heather Lee

By end of shift, you'll see the digital boops following close behind in the shout-outs and accolades.

Heather tries to boop at the end of every shift, celebrating her team's accomplishments, including the teammates she doesn't always get to work alongside.

"For example, booping our facilities team saying, 'Hey, I noticed that you guys were able to fix that hinge that was broken. Thank you so much!'"
Dr. Heather Lee

Has Rally caused any positive behavior changes in the hospital staff?

"Rally's given them a platform to speak and express themselves."
Dr. Heather Lee

No matter the communication style of the staff member, whether they enjoy public celebration or prefer something more intimate, it's created a common communication circle.

Surprisingly, some of the quietest staff members are the most active boopers.

"These are staff members that, on a shift, may only say five or six words to you because they're naturally so quiet. Then you see all the wonderful things that they have to say and see them blossom on the software."
Dr. Heather Lee
"It's really helped build our team up in ways that I really couldn't have anticipated 9 months ago when we implemented it."
Dr. Heather Lee

What are some magic moments you've had on Rally?

Heather came from a background where leadership didn't check in on employee wellness, or if they did, there was minimal follow-through.

"So, Rally has really reshaped how I think about work and encourages me to not just 'soldier on' despite how I'm genuinely feeling."
Dr. Heather Lee

A few months ago, she went through a rough patch. Difficult clients, cases that didn't go the way she hoped despite her best efforts. When she logged into Rally that day, a wellness check-in came up. Her first instinct was "10/10, everything's fine." Then she reflected, and was honest.

She went to work the next day not expecting anything. But her leadership team pulled her aside.

"They saw my wellness score in Rally and immediately, after chatting with me, implemented some schedule changes to take some of the pressure off of me."
Dr. Heather Lee

She had never had an employer do something like that. The trust it built was immediate.

"That experience really solidified in me that I wanted to make sure Rally became a permanent staple in our day-to-day practice."
Dr. Heather Lee

Advice for other hospitals

"My only advice to other practices would be that they've got to stick to it. It's not enough to just download the software. Is your team using it on a daily or weekly basis? Are they genuinely being honest with their feedback? Is the leadership team receptive to it and implementing change so that we can grow?"
Dr. Heather Lee

If you're doing that, you'll find success like NDVESH's team has.