Practice Management

It's uncomfortable for managers to be wedged in between you docs, who want things done your way -- the right way -- and a team that thinks the manager should have the influence and authority to rein you in. Here are some ways you get your manager tied in knots:

Use this form to document verbal warnings when you're disciplining employees.

Take these three steps to make sure you can reach your team members and communicate critical news.

Our receptionist is excellent at her job, and the clients love her-when she's here. She's been with us for less than a year, but she's frequently absent and still asked for a raise. So we switched her wages from hourly to salary, but now she wants even more money and doesn't want to work Saturdays. Am I being taken advantage of?

Position descriptions help you maintain your focus during the search for employees, communicate the responsibilities of the position to potential candidates, structure the orientation and training process, and assist in employee evaluations.

Take the next step to show your staff members the way to safety.

"After the cards dry, we put a couple pieces of clear packing tape over the front of the card," says Jeremy Gerhard, LVT, CVT, at Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Southfield, Mich.

Written training guidelines define the path your employees will take. Use these guidelines to develop yours.

Reading is power.

If an employee quits, do I have to pay that person for his or her remaining vacation days?

15 tools and tips to take your team from good to great.

Are your walls or trim outdated? New paint, paper, and trim can take your exam room from ughh to ahhh.

You're stoked about offering your clients new services and products. But your team's response is underwhelming. Here's how to get started and get your team onboard.

Should we offer walk-in appointments?

What a pity that respect is not an edible commodity.

Use this position description to determine the responsibilities of a practice manager.

Countless companion animals suffered during last year's hurricane season and many lost their lives because of a lack of planning. Help your clients think ahead about emergencies.

Practice managers lower turnover, free up the doctors' time so they can focus more on patients and clients, and improve the owners' sanity. Could you use one of these gems in your practice?

We received a promotion from a magazine that allows us to send customized issues to our best clients every quarter. Will this promotion generate the type of return we've been looking for?

Avoid these seven missteps to protect your practice's potential. (And avoid some sleepless nights.)

Lately, when I get to the clinic, I can hardly wait to leave. The clients are great, but there's a lot of negativity among the team members. What can I do?

Do your staff members respect -- or better yet worship -- you? If not, you may be unconsciously stemming their admiration.

There are two types of communication pathways present in any social/working environment.

Veterinarians are confronted with clients who darken our doors under the most dire of circumstances.

Getting paid for your services and staying in clients' good graces don't have to be mutually exclusive goals. Try these tips to collect fees quickly and with grace.

As we communicate more through e-mail, electronic etiquette is evolving. Make sure you're evolving, too.

The U.S. Army Veterinary Service Corps considered cancelling its 90th-anniversary celebration when the first veterinarian since the Vietnam conflict was killed in action May 18 as a result of a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Few pets miss their regular test or get behind on their medications at Lost Mountain Animal Hospital in Marietta, Ga. That's because Tiffany Gluckman, a receptionist, sends out reminders to clients to make appointments for procedures, tests, and medications, such as T4 levels and phenobarbital screens every six months, heartworm medication every year, and regular dentals.

Laminated educational review sheets for annual wellness exams engage clients and save paper. With National Pet Wellness Month around the corner, it's a great time to spice up your wellness exams.

Our busy four-doctor mixed-animal clinic developed this phone message template to help receptionists take more effective messages.