Business

I suspect our sick-leave policy encourages employees to take time off when they're not really ill. Is there any way to prevent this?

OK, folks, it's time to step up and help put a stop to animal cruelty.

Are your waste bins full of paper, cans, plastic, cardboard, and other recyclables? Use these quick tips to launch a recycling program in your practice.

Just because Pet Dental month has passed doesn't mean you should stop pushing good dental care for patients.

Sometimes it's tough for a new associate to find his fit as part of the team, but having a good relationship with those up and down the roster is important for growth and success.

Conflict closed this practice's doors for good. Don't suffer the same fate.

My group practice is thinking of adding a doctor, but we're worried that it could cost more in additional overhead than he or she will produce. What should we do?

You know how important heartworm preventive is and likely prefer clients buy 12 months worth of preventive at once, so they don't delay when they need more and risk the pet's health. After sending a practice manager to an AAHA pilot program on compliance in 2003, Suburban Animal Clinic in Columbus, Ohio, implemented a few changes to increase 12-month heartworm preventive compliance.

You want to be available when needed but not a slave to your phone, right? Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Dennis Cloud, owner of Cloud Veterinary Center in St. Louis, suggests you get two cell phones.

Making sure you're on the same page with clients is the best way to avoid malpractice claims. Use these strategies to refine your approach and avoid potential trouble spots.

"To increase efficiency at our front desk, we maintain a very organized file-placement system, with bins for every possible function," says Sabrina Lewis, veterinary nurse at Central Broward Animal Hospital in Plantation, Fla.

In "Feeling Squeezed by Expenses?" (December 2005), the author discusses categories for expenses. What category does after-hours emergency work fit into, and what is the current pay recommendation for those services?

Nothing messes up a day like a steady string of interruptions.

Your clients didn't go to veterinary school. You did. So why ask your clients, who have no training or expertise, to make medical decisions about the care of their pets?

Our associate has more than $80,000 in school debt. She receives a fair salary, but I would like to help her more. Any ideas?

Try these strategies to beat back burnout and stay jazzed about your work.

I barely got a chance to say hello before Mrs. Blastaway gave it to me with both barrels.

For 87 Years, Alexandria Veterinary Clinic PetCare Center in Alexandria, Minn., served large and small animal clients in a warm, homey atmosphere. Sure, the facility faced changes and a couple of facelifts along the way, including a remodel in 1983 and an addition in 1995. But in 2000, the six owners decided they'd run out of space.

Lynn Kessel, practice manager at Round Rock Animal Hospital in Round Rock, Texas, firmly believes that every hospital manager needs someone to vent to, share ideas with, or solve problems with. "The doctors are busy, and it may not be appropriate for a manager to share certain issues with employees," she says.

College Station, Texas - Practice owners are losing thousands of dollars due to compliance failures, and the quality of medicine at the point of care is suffering, too.

What does OSHA require employers to provide in a break room?

Veterinary consultant Jim Wilson, DVM, JD, produced a spreadsheet that potential owners can use to calculate the lifetime costs of their new pets. The goal is to ensure they're prepared for the expenses of adequate care.

Send your clients home with clear, concrete instructions?and take the opportunity to show them how much you care.

Does a moment with your credit card statement feel like a moment in hell? Quit cowering and put out the flames for good.

Changes in horse owners' expectations clear a path for better working conditions?and may let you dedicate more time to your patients.

We have a sign out front that we put messages and sayings on. But we struggle to come up with something to put on it. Any suggestions?

The goal: Build a facility big enough to accommodate future growth without losing the small-practice feel. The result: Alexandria Veterinary Clinic PetCare Center in Alexandria, Minn., a warm practice that's built to last.

A birthday wish in the mail is nice, but such kind gestures only work if you deliver a similar message in person.

A successful financial plan should offer you the choice of allocating profits back to the practice or into a more diversified portfolio.

If you're considering selling part ownership to a valued associate, you need to know the tax traps for buyers and sellers.