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| Owners: Pique associates' interest
| Dr. Brent Cook, the co-owner of Kingsbrook Animal Hospital in Frederick, Md., learned firsthand that helping his associates become comfortable with a new equipment purchase is key. | | | Ommm for owners
| | Good associates are rarer than hen's teeth, so how do you attract them to your cozy practice and keep them? | | | Starting an associate on ProSal
| | Q. My associate earns 22.5 percent of her total production. Of that, about 17 percent is wages and the remainder is fringe benefits. She also receives a bonus. How can I switch her to ProSal without giving away the farm? | | | Get it in writing
| | I'm an expert witness for a practice owner who is being sued by two former associate doctors. What caused this litigation? Poor communication and a contract written on a napkin. | | | By the numbers: Getting to know the next generation of leaders
| | A look at associates' debt, purchasing power, interest in ownership, and more. | | | Lost and found
| | Q. How can I get the doctors to take care of the equipment at my practice? They don't keep their trucks clean and often leave equipment behind on visits. | | | The case for written employment contracts
| | I'm an associate, and my boss recently changed the way my production is assigned—not in my favor. What recourse do I have? | | | Associate pay: adjusting for experience
| | Reward associates for their knowledge, education, time, and experience level. | | | Student loan relief
| | Our associate has more than $80,000 in school debt. She receives a fair salary, but I would like to help her more. Any ideas? | |  MORE ARTICLES
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| Pet lovers read on
| | Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Marty Becker and other authors of "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the Cat and Dog Lover's Soul" will release two new books on Oct. 11: "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul.". | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| House of the dead
| | I had just come in from a walk when my phone rang. As any veterinarian knows, getting a call this late at night could mean only one thing: a sick animal. | | | Did Father know best?
| | Probably not, but I learned better client care when my dad ignored my advice and picked a pet with his heart—not his head. | | | A loyal pup who never forgot Mom
| | This surprise visitor taught one girl—and future veterinarian—that sorrow and sympathy aren't just human emotions. | | | Hanging tough
| | You never know what you're going to see in practice—it can be a real mixed bag. | | | Life, love, loss
| | Saying goodbye is never easy. And you face this undeniable fact of life every day. The upside: You're in a position to ease your clients through the grieving process and help them celebrate the pets they love. | | | Puppy parties bond patients to practice
| | Dogs can't wait to get through the front door of Chanhassen Veterinary Clinic in Chanhassen, Minn. For 12 years, the clinic has been throwing free puppy parties in its reception area. | | | Sunshine on a rainy day
| | Just like this doctor, you may find the letters, photos, and mementos you receive from clients provide a critical pick-me-up when the tough days seem to outweigh the joys of practice. | | | About a dog
| | One doctor talks about the patient that was hardest to lose. | | | Giving in can be part of giving
| | This doctor learned communication is a two-way street. And meeting this small dog in the middle made all the difference in the world. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Case study: Investing in overnight care pays off
| | "Clients like to know their pets will be taken care of by doctors they know and trust in an emergency, so having a doctor on staff 24 hours a day just makes sense to us," says Dr. Tom Nelson, co-owner of Animal Medical Center in Anniston, Ala. "Besides, the nearest emergency clinic is 60 miles away." | | | Case study: Tours build the bond
| | Hospital tours attract new clients and cement your bond with existing ones. "We like to take the mystery away," says Dr. Lisa Barlow of Centennial Valley Animal Hospital PC in Louisville, Colo. "We think hospital tours help clients feel better about leaving their pets here." | | | Case study: Visiting specialist wins clients and revenue
| | Dr. Brad Rosonke, owner of Hillside Animal Hospital in Scottsdale, Ariz., has little interest in dentistry. But he knows that offering dental services means better care. His solution: Hire a dental resident. | | | Case study: Senior testing education enhances care and compliance
| | Dr. Daniel Brod, co-owner of Deer Creek Animal Hospital in
Littleton, Colo., says that in about one of every four senior dogs
he tests, he identifies early disease processes, such as renal,
liver, or thyroid disease?that's about 15 percent higher than in
younger dogs at his practice. And he sees similar results in his
feline patients. So the benefits of testing are clear. And his team
took just a few steps that helped to increase compliance. | | | Staff training program increases heartworm preventive compliance
| | You know how important heartworm preventive is and likely prefer
clients buy 12 months worth of preventive at once, so they don't
delay when they need more and risk the pet's health. After sending
a practice manager to an AAHA pilot program on compliance in 2003,
Suburban Animal Clinic in Columbus, Ohio, implemented a few changes
to increase 12-month heartworm preventive compliance. | | | Case study: Boosting repeat visits and dental care
| | Reminders and increased client education lead to improved care at this Florida practice. | | | Case Study: Upscale Boarding Keeps Pets and Owners Happy
| | "I didn't like boarding my dog in a little cage," says Dr. Henry Inglesby, owner of Suwanee Pet Suites and Animal Care Center in Suwanee, Ga. Assuming other vacationing dog owners also hated the thought of leaving their precious canines in tight quarters, he decided to replace the cramped cages. | | | Case Study: Tap Retired Workers to Make Callbacks
| | For 12 years, Dr. Steve Bishop and his crew at Animal Care Hospital in Phoenix have been tapping the retired population to make callbacks in the early evening. Doing so frees time for receptionists to work on other jobs, he says. "Plus, the hourly pay is less than for a receptionist, and the workers are more flexible with their time." | | | Case Study: Hip Screenings may Help Improve Quality of Live
| | During a continuing education meeting held by local orthopedic specialists, Dr. Mike McLaughlin, owner of Animal Medical Center of Cumming, in Cumming, Ga., was intrigued about a surgical procedure called TPO, or triple pelvic osteotomy. He heard the specialists say that some large-breed dogs with hip dysplasia can enjoy an improved quality of life, or at least a slowed disease progression, by undergoing TPO. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Prescription pad pages
| | Make prescription refill requests easier on clients and receptionists with these easy-to-use prescription refill pad pages. | | | Six simple tips to rev up refills and revenue
| | A few tweaks to your paperwork and front desk, and refill annoyances will be a thing of the past. | | | ROI worksheet
| | Download this PDF worksheet to get an ROI formula and a list of essential questions. | | | Make sure new equipment pays off
| | Before this doctor bought a single machine, he did his homework. The first thing he considered: cost-effectiveness. | | | Feline heartworm Q&A
| | A form to answer clients' most common questions about the disease. | | | Add feline heartworms to your priority list
| | Heartworms can sneak up on cats—and you. Prepare yourself, then use a handout to start talking prevention with clients. | | | Weight reduction in pets
| | Use this PDF form to help clients learn the right number of calories to feed their pets. | | | Clients can trim pounds from pets
| | Weight loss is tough for anyone—two-legged or four-legged. However, weight loss can not only add years to a pet's life, it can also make those years more enjoyable. Helping your clients trim a few pounds off of their cuddly companions may be easier than you think. They just need to understand the process, pay attention to detail, and call on your assistance and that of your healthcare team. | | | CLIENT HANDOUT: Finding reputable Web sites
| | Fight misinformation and reward curiosity with a handout that teaches clients to sort fact from fiction on the Web. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Why clients leave
| | "The waiting area smelled of urine and pet odors." "The surroundings were dirty and depressing." Don't let these comments be from your clients. | | | Why one client stays ... and stays ... and stays
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And her veterinarian explains how he does it. | | | Six simple tips to rev up refills and revenue
| | A few tweaks to your paperwork and front desk, and refill annoyances will be a thing of the past. | | | Are your clients advocates, apathetics, or assassins?
| | Use J.D. Power's three customer categories to decode your clients so they'll put their power to work for you. | | | Custom ambulance transports pets
| | A refurbished ambulance transfers referral patients between WestVet Emergency Center in Meridian, Idaho, and nearby practices. | | | Lessons on listening
| | "For everything there is an appointed time. ... A time to listen and a time to speak." | | | Providing client convenience: It's no small matter
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Dr. James Brooks turned over in bed and looked at the clock. It was 8:05 a.m. He was a little late but thought he could make it to the clinic on time. He quickly headed to the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth. He looked in the mirror — same face, different day. He laughed nervously because it really wasn't the same face. It was a suddenly aging facade marred by the daily stress of being a solo practitioner in a changing veterinary world. He had never married. His apartment usually was a mess — cleaned only when circumstances dictated. | | | Don't let bad Internet reviews bite
| | Let's say you're casually googling your practice one day when you find a review that makes your eyes pop out of your head ... | | | Delving into the client mind
| | Studies show a disturbing trend. The number of visits pet owners make to their veterinarian is declining. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Referral form
| | Avoid miscommunication and use this referral form to help improve patient care. | | | Associates, don't fear change. Embrace it.
| | You are perfectly positioned to benefit from change. Here's how to make the most of three key management decisions. | | | The shelter dilemma
| | Everyone can start to break the impasse between private practitioners and shelters by listening. | | | Perform a SWOT analysis to identify new business opportunities
| | The strongest practice teams work on their business, not just in it. Use this approach to give structure to your conversations about what paths to pursue. | | | Write or wrong
| | It's 10 a.m. on Monday morning. Mrs. Hodge rushes in with her 13-year-old miniature Schnauzer, which is lethargic and vomiting. The problems began yesterday, and all Mrs. Hodge can tell you is that she's been giving her dog some kind of pill for the past week. | | | A good boss lets bad eggs go
| | Have you ever terminated, fired, liberated, or let someone go after laboring over the decision for days and losing several nights' sleep, only to realize you should've done it much, much sooner? If so, you're not alone. | | | Communicating with referring doctors
| | How can I encourage general practitioners to refer cases that are beyond their expertise? And how do I do this without coming across as self-serving? | | | 5 startup horror stories
| | Taste the terror of veterinary practices gone wrong, and let these lessons keep you out of a business nightmare of your own. | | | You know what happens when you assume ...
| | When two people are knowledgeable in the same field, misunderstandings arise if one assumes the other already knows something, according to a University of Chicago study. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| I've been sued. Now what?
| | Your Medical Career and financial stability flash before your eyes. A gut-wrenching feeling takes hold. This is it; you've been hit with a malpractice lawsuit. | | | AAEP promotes annual dental exams for horses
| | The American Association of Equine Practitioners launched an equine dental awareness campaign in April to run throughout 2008. | | | Young, talented, and female
| | In the past, the usual image of an equine veterinarian was a big, brawny, no-nonsense man. Now, it's more about your smarts and your reflexes than your biceps. In all areas of practice, a successful equine female practitioner flexes her brains more than her muscles. | | | How to lower gas consumption when gas prices are rising
| | Here are ways to improve your gas mileage, whether you commute to work or drive all day as a mobile doctor. | | | Forget marketing. Think service.
| | Rethink your stance on marketing and consider what it's really about: providing valuable information to a client so he or she can make an informed decision about purchasing a product or service. | | | Your mission, should you choose to accept it
| | Lead with the big picture and use it as a reference point for practice success. | |
| 11 ways to boost your practice's value
| | A major portion of the value of your practice is based on profitability. So to increase your practice's value, it's important to manage your profits, revenue, and expenses. | | | Recession in the equine world
| | The impact of a recession, if it happens, on equine veterinarians will be uneven, just as it will be in the small animal world, experts say. | | | Ye olde age of heraldry and horses
| | At that first event, I was awed by the beauty of the costumes and the people's chivalry. It was a welcome change from the everyday stresses. I've been an active member ever since. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| The shelter dilemma
| | Everyone can start to break the impasse between private practitioners and shelters by listening. | | | Unsupervised ordering raises ethical questions
| | I own a small animal practice, and I discovered that my hospital manager and associate have been ordering equine products through my clinic. I like that I can help them by getting products at wholesale, but I worry about my liability since I don't treat horses. Is this legal? | | | Business ethics
| | Solid business ethics can help you establish a profitable, successful practice. And your clients will see your good side, too. Here are seven principles of admirable business ethics: | | | Addressing the responsibilities microchips raise
| | We took in a boarder from a longtime, good client, who said the pet was a stray that he acquired from the local groomer. During our exam, we found a microchip and were able to locate and contact the original owner, who said the dog had been stolen about six weeks earlier. What are our rights and responsibilities in situations like this? | | | Provide employees with places to go
| | It's essential to tell team members who they can turn to--besides you--when they encounter a confusing ethical situation. | | | Pet botox ban
| | West Hollywood, Calif., is trying to ban cosmetic surgery on animals, including tail docking, de-fanging, ear cropping, and botox for noncurative reasons. | |
| | Was it an error?
| | The answer is often colored by preconceived notions, according to a study published in the American Journal of Nursing. When adverse events fall in the realm of nursing they're likely to be reported as errors. When they're associated with physicians, they're apt to be viewed as differences in "clinical judgement" or a "variation in practice." | | | Ethical recommendations that work
| | Think you're communicating--and selling--your services effectively? Here are some key points to consider to help you make powerful and persuasive recommendations to your clients | | | Incomparably rude doesn't equal incompetence
| | A Pennsylvania veterinarian's public reprimand by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine was overturned by a Commonwealth Court panel, according to the Associated Press. | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Are women tough enough?
| | The gender earnings gap: It's difficult to talk about. But talking—with authority—is just what female veterinarians must do to earn more. | | | Why clients leave
| | "The waiting area smelled of urine and pet odors." "The surroundings were dirty and depressing." Don't let these comments be from your clients. | | | Getting through to the boss
| | I get calls every week from managers who feel like owners don't respect them or listen to them. They're having trouble "managing up." | | | Who's in control?
| | Someone is in charge at your practice. If you're the owner, it should be you. But you might be surprised to learn that the de facto leader of many practices isn't the person whose name is on the deed—it's a team member given too much power by a boss who doesn't want to manage or is afraid to. | | | The shelter dilemma
| | Everyone can start to break the impasse between private practitioners and shelters by listening. | | | 11 ways to boost your practice's value
| | A major portion of the value of your practice is based on profitability. So to increase your practice's value, it's important to manage your profits, revenue, and expenses. | | | Don't let bad Internet reviews bite
| | Let's say you're casually googling your practice one day when you find a review that makes your eyes pop out of your head ... | | | Delving into the client mind
| | Studies show a disturbing trend. The number of visits pet owners make to their veterinarian is declining. | | | The R word: Recession
| | With a possible recession looming, a wave of financially struggling clients may be cresting at your door. Are you ready? | | | MORE ARTICLES
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| Talking teeth with timid clients
| | What you can do to get clients on board with your dental recommendations. | | | Look but also touch
| | Seeing is believing for clients when it comes to pet dental health at Falmouth Veterinary Hospital in Falmouth, Maine. Video touchscreens in exam rooms show clients how quickly damaging plaque can build and harden. The screens also let clients type in their e-mail address and request that the information or Web site address for the video be sent to their home. After every dental cleaning, clients watch a video on brushing. | | | Educating clients about parasites
| | A list from the Veterinary Economics archives. | | | Worm your way into wellness visits
| | Biannual deworming protects patients and encourages regular wellness visits. | | | Providing pet insurance
| | It doesn't hurt Dr. Craig Prior's feelings when a client is hesitant to take out a pet insurance policy: "I tell them, 'Try it for a year. If you don't like it, cancel it. I won't mind.'" | | | Using software for consistent care
| | Dr. David McGrath is owner of seven practices, and at one time they used four software programs between them. Now they all use the same system. This has allowed them to try new ideas to boost compliance, which so far have resulted in gross revenue increases of up to 50 percent. Take Dr. McGrath's lessons into account as you evaluate your own practice software—and what it can do for you. |
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