Practice Management

An Easter egg hunt for cash- and candy-filled eggs makes spring cleaning fun for the team at the Maul Road Animal Clinic in Camden, Ark.

Current trends toward bigger veterinary practices - with more people using supplies, technology and equipment - and more part-time practitioners who don't have the concerns and pressures of ownership lead inevitably to decreasing profitability and higher debt.

A furniture and equipment log can be a valuable tool for any veterinary practice. It can be maintained on a spreadsheet program, with columns for the date of purchase, description of the asset, purchase price, supplier and other pertinent information.

Consider including a blood-typing test in new pet wellness packages.

How effective are special promotions in attracting new clients?

I can still remember the feeling of the tractor-tire cleats thumping across my back as I fell onto the tire when my uncle unexpectedly swerved the tractor, traveling in high gear.

Shine a light on your team members to ensure they feel appreciated and don't fade into the woodwork.

Q. I take my practice staff out to lunch four times a year as a way to boost morale. Can I write off these lunches on my taxes as a business expense?

Don't let these business mistakes corrupt your practice.

The brain chemical that motivated cave-dwellers to hunt will get your staff excited about performing well.

Who would have guessed that the great debate of this decade would focus on vaccine protocols?

What's the difference between a client care coordinator and a receptionist? Is there a pay difference between the two?

You've got a bunch of different personalities buzzing around your clinic, but that doesn't have to mean a lot of stinging and biting.

I have met many good surgeons like J.D. over the years. They are surgeons in the true sense and love their work. Yes, they are surgeons even if they are not board-certified, but they are a dying breed.

Do your prescription call-ins get lost in the paperwork on the doctor's desk? Marty Strauss, the practice manager for St. Charles Veterinary Clinic in St. Charles, Ill., recommends using colored paper to highlight medication refills.

Use a computer program to generate automatic reminders of recurring tasks.

Negative thoughts left unchecked can plague your practice, limiting growth and spoiling harmony. Face the fear, converts say. Here's how.

Plan morale-boosting events sporadically-not just during the holidays.

It's cheaper in the end to pay for great skills, attitude, and experience.

Outsourcing payroll is advised in practices with relatively small staffs.

What's the difference between a part-time relief veterinarian and a block-time relief veterinarian?

The following tip is brought to you by a member of the Veterinary Leadership Group (VLG), a group of 20 management-savvy practitioners and hospital managers from across the country who meet twice a year to discuss business improvement, personal growth and social development issues for their practices.

Baby boomers enjoy a position of authority in many practices, strongly influencing workplace culture. Here's an inside look at how they shape practice.

Ask employees to rank the top five features they value in their job with this exclusive form.

I already work a few Saturdays a month and now my boss wants more!

I want to update my office policy manual, but I'm afraid of overlooking something. What items should I definitely include?

Our client folders are arranged by last name, but approximately one-third of them are in the wrong place. Is it most efficient to file customer folders by name, or is there a better way?

The SEEN program's first objective is ... education.