Business

Janet Gilmore peeked through the door into the small waiting room. She could see Harold, holding two cats and Harry, his pet Beagle. She saw several other clients she knew quite well and one new client, who looked a bit uneasy as she sat with a small mixed-breed dog.

The time has come for a consultant to come clean.

Dr. X has a 25-year-old practice that is having trouble meeting expenses. Payroll is covered, but what's left over is about $5,000 short of last year.

Phoenix, Ariz. - Veterinary medicine is stressful. The workday is filled with responsibilities, decision-making and time constraints. Staff meetings can be extremely stressful, especially when they turn into gripe sessions. Humor will help alleviate stress, and the result is a more productive meeting.

In this video, Dr. Dennis Cloud shares the advice he gives his associates to help them get clients on board with recommendations for care.

Customize this sample Word document to start engaging your own team of consultants today.

Even if your practice doesn't need to be rescued, wouldn't it be nice to have these three management angels in your corner?

Doctors tend to hang on to bad habits and attitudes from their first job. Seeking out mentors-or mentoring a new grad at your practice-can help.

All of our workstations have Internet capability, so we use instant messaging to communicate with each other while in the exam or treatment rooms.

Shawn McVey explains why your practice's appearance really matters.

Q. Although there are three emergency clinics in the area, the practice I work at always sees its clients' emergencies. This is frustrating, but the owner says that clients love it. Is this reasonable?

Identity theft is an ongoing problem. What should you be watching out for?

You can balance a career with a personal life-but you've got to embrace change. Here's the one thing you need to know about having it all.

This surprise visitor taught one girl-and future veterinarian-that sorrow and sympathy aren't just human emotions.

Think you're the first and only business owner to suffer a particular problem? In almost every case, someone worked through the misery before you. They might even have learned lessons that could help you.

It finally happened.

Local veterinary hospitals wouldn't treat a dying dog-and not because they didn't have the skills or the client wouldn't pay.

It wasn't an easy transition-half of the team quit, but profits went up.

After 25 years in the U.S. market, this leader talks about the potential for pet insurance.

Each day provides an opportunity to offer some nuggets of education.

The details you need to update your employee manual are just a click away.

If you go on VIN, you will see dozens of posts and links trying to define what production pay is and how to pay it. Unfortunately, it is a constantly moving target. The current thinking is this:

Let's return to our story that began in this column in the May issue.

A form for pinpointing age-related problems

Clients often cannot comprehend what a cat or dog at a healthy weight looks like, so I give them a live demonstration with my own dog and cat, which are at ideal weights.

Your practice's identity goes far beyond a logo.

The image of the pebble cast into the pond sending a ring of small waves in all directions is indicative of the impact that rising energy costs have had on all facets of our society.

Experience running large referral practices, and a background in social work give this leader insights into the changes specialty care brings.