Business

North Central Veterinary Center, a collaboration between a university veterinary school and private practitioners, proves there's strength in numbers--and frees local veterinarians from late-night emergencies

As different as associates' experiences are, they generally enter practice with four concerns. Dr. Philip VanVranken, the managing partner at Dickman Road Veterinary Clinic, a seven-doctor practice in Battle Creek, Mich., offers his insight from 30 years of experience and provides some quick mentoring. Here are his answers to four common questions.

It's 7 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, and our house is in its usual state of controlled chaos. Breakfast bowls are clinking, backpacks are zipping, and comments are flying around the kitchen faster than a budgie on a beak-trim breakaway. Unfortunately, every sentence seems to start with my name.

Your team members may find it takes some practice to stay calm and collected when unexpected situations arise. According to Ethics4Everyone, by Eric Harvey and Scott Airitam (Performance Systems Corp., 2002), it's best to prepare staff members for difficult events by playing the "what if" game.

Expect health insurance to cost about 10 percent more this year, marking five years of double-digit increases, according to The Washington Post.

They're here to stay. And the sites that target consumers are making heavy-duty media buys. Are you often doing enough to explain why clients should buy medications from you?

If a management vacuum occurs in the practice, then someone will fill it.

You're enjoying practice, and your clients and team members are happy. But don't let complacency take hold. These common pitfalls can bump you off track.

Make Yourself More Valuable/Practice Management

A Pennsylvania veterinarian's public reprimand by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine was overturned by a Commonwealth Court panel, according to the Associated Press.

I'm the sole owner of a two-doctor practice. I have a great associate. She loves it here, I pay her well, and she knows she's appreciated.

Think your practice could benefit from some expert help? A consultant may be the way to go. But it's not enough to just hire help. You must know what you want to accomplish, pick the best-qualified consultant to help, and act on his or her advice.

One hospital and its clients help a family stunned by tragedy pick up the pieces and begin a new life.

Many practices are set up as S corporations for tax reporting purposes, enabling owners to receive dividend payments that aren't subject to Social Security tax. Doctors usually receive these payments when the practice pays for veterinary services and management.

Any practice that modifies, adapts or adds to the business premises will qualify for a write-off period.

"Happiness is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it."

Buying into a practice could bring great opportunities or heartache. The key: Know what you're getting into.

Remember, most clients won't appreciate the seriousness of periodontal isease until they see it.

Dividing medical and ancillary services into two separate-but-connected buildings allows the team at Intermountain Pet Hospital and Pet Lodge to focus on the tasks at hand and project a more professional image.

I tried to explain that six years and 60 pounds alters a lot of things. He was not in agreement.

News travels fast in my clinic. How can I keep information private until I'm ready to disclose it to my staff?

What message does the appearance of your clinic send? And what message do the doctors, technicians, and support staff members send when they interact with clients? For a real eye opener, ask your clients these questions, using surveys, focus groups, and casual conversations during appointments. And don't forget to ask new clients and staff members why they chose your clinic. Their fresh eyes can offer valuable insights into the first impressions your practice makes.

Our long-time office manager isn't keeping up with our growing practice. She did an excellent job for almost 10 years, but during the past few years, she's lost the practice money because she can't manage the increased patient and billing load. How should my partners and I approach her? How much severance should we offer her?

I know that an associate veterinarian who's juggling a hectic schedule, a crazy personal life, and pressure-packed workdays can easily get lost in the minutia of the moment. Before you realize it, weeks, months, and even years can float by. At the same time, critical decisions?about your career, your cash flow, and your potential?can get pushed to the back burner, or worse, never even considered.

Matching associates and practices is an ongoing challenge. How do you find an associate? What can you do to make your job offer attractive? What steps can you take to nurture an associate along his or her career path? How can you retain a long-term associate or potential owner?

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One trick I learned was to construct my invoices so I did not draw attention to my hourly rate.

Rather than just treat existing oral disease, promote the importance of preventive dentistry to clients when their pets are young.

Not long ago in a Midwestern town, the owner of Wylie Animal Hospital, a two-doctor practice, called our office for help. The caller, Dr. Rudy Wylie (a composite character based on real practitioners), was an established practitioner whose companion animal practice had always been able to pay its bills, give staff members an annual raise, and maintain its client base.

The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 created billions of dollars of tax breaks.