Practice Management

Physicians once said nurses would dilute their earning power and endanger patient safety.

Encinitas, Calif. — Communication with staff is the key to a hospital's success, Dr. Michele Drake says.

Like it or not, lay people can learn to competently perform many routine tasks.

Only about 80 percent of time slots will be accomplished despite the best plans, but it's better than 20 percent without a plan.

Well-managed practices work on management issues proactively, looking for ways to improve and innovate rather than just responding to the fires that arise each day. Of course, striving for excellence isn't a one-person job. And getting your team involved in finding better ways to serve clients is a great first step to being more proactive.

Sometimes these employees are simply in the wrong job. If so, just redeploy them.

Q I'm a recent graduate, and I find that the clients I see have no preference for which doctor examines their pet. How can I develop my own clientele?

A new campaign launched by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Fort Dodge Animal Health aims to let owners know their horses should get exams twice a year—in the spring and fall.

Q What's the typical turnover rate for front-office team members? How do I know if my turnover's too high?

Starting this month, 401(k) plans can offer a Roth 401(k) provision—which could be a better option for your retirement savings.

My practice has a steady client base, but we'd like to increase our new clients. What's the most effective way to grow?

Most real issues are unspoken and well recognized at the staff level.

I have an employee who regularly stays for overtime that I haven't authorized. My attorney says I have to pay her for the time, even though I didn't schedule it. What can I do to keep team members from working unapproved overtime?

How important is it to buy telephone-directory advertising?

Metabolic profiling and its results have disappointed me several times during my career. Yet I recently had success using an approach promoted by University of Wisconsin (UW) associate professor Dr. Gary Oetzel, who believes two subclinical syndromes account for a large percentage of dairy farms problems.

Take these steps to document poor performance.

Practices whose staff are so well treated that they feel like family may be harder to compete with.

Starting this month, 401(k) plans can offer a Roth 401(k) provision—which could be a better option for your retirement savings.

Acres Animal Hospital in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, relies on hot-water bottles to help provide comfort to patients.

How do I know if gossip has become a problem in my practice? And what's the best way to get rid of it?

I'm considering remodeling an exam room. What are the first steps I should take?

Offering to put them in contact with a financial planner may just be the ticket for some new grads.

I'm tired of having a huge pile of accounts receivable. How can I manage this better?

"We all want our staff members to work together as a team, but it's hard to ask this of your staff unless they know the steps to take," says Julia Culbreth, the practice manager at Jefferson Animal Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

Conversations may stray more when you're not totally focused.

It's easy to overlook the problems that come with making clients wait. We think, "Hey, it comes with the territory." We make excuses. And we hedge our bets, knowing most clients only grow dissatisfied when they wait more than 30 minutes. But that approach won't wow clients. In fact, even a short wait may leave clients disgruntled. So it's an issue you should aim to manage.

I do primarily small animal ambulatory work in the Midwest. I'm new to equine practice and trying to get a grasp on fees. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the charges I've seen in our area. Help!

Do you give this critical player the respect and responsibility she deserves?