Practice Management

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.

If you plan to install new computers in your practice, think about how you'll dispose of your old ones-tossing them into the dumpster is a no-no.

How business owners must balance the rights of smokers with those of nonsmokers.

A few tweaks to your paperwork and front desk, and refill annoyances will be a thing of the past.

Can I question my employee who's revealed a history of mental illness and prescribed medications to control it?

This Texas hospital is anything but modest and can boast the client growth to prove it.

Canine lifestyle survey form

The new CEO of NCVEI has been offering advice in our pages for years. Read her stories here.

The National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) named Karen E. Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, its new chief executive officer.

A parrot lost in Japan gives his name, address to veterinarian.

So ... what do your team members type on?

Are the other puppies green with envy?

"Specialty practices trying to attract new specialists aren't just competing with other practices," says Mark Opperman, CVPM, owner of VMC Inc., a veterinary consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo. "They're also competing with universities."

There is an expectation that specialty practices will be more profitable because they charge higher fees and have a larger average transaction charge, but that's not necessarily true.

Client expectations are two-fold, says Dr. Karen Felsted, CVPM, CPA, a consultant with Gatto McFerson in Santa Monica, Calif.

"Specialty practices don't want to step on the referring practice's toes by marketing themselves to clients directly," says Mark Opperman, CVPM, owner of VMC Inc., a veterinary consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo. "They would rather get referrals through the general practice. And the best way to do that is by developing relationships with them."

It's a dual client base. One set is obviously pet owners; the second set is made up of referring veterinarians.

"Many specialists feel they should get paid more just because they are a specialist, but the truth is they shouldn't," says Mark Opperman, CVPM, owner of VMC Inc., a veterinary consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo. "They should get paid more because they produce more."

A list from the Veterinary Economics archives.

With a little hard work and a whole lot of fun. Get an insider's look at all of our cover-shoot shenanigans.

Readers can share their the trials and tribulations of malpractice lawsuits.

Veterinarians -- before they were called veterinarians -- were animals' advocates.

Hiring in big states like Texas and California declined.

A visit to the eco-friendly dream hospital of a former relief doctor.

Slideshow

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.

A big challenge at our busy hospital is keeping everyone up-to-date on hospital changes.

Will anesthesia hurt her baby? Is it risky for her to be around sick pets or toxic drugs?

A compassionate animal lover rescued a guinea pig near death and nursed it back to health, renewing my belief in the healing power of love.

A self-serving team member may be pulling the strings at your practice. Why are you letting it happen?