Business

For years, veterinarians practiced reactively, primarily treating illnesses and administering vaccinations. Not anymore. According to the 2004 AAHA Pet Owner Survey, 94 percent of respondents take their pets to the veterinarian for regular checkups to ensure their quality of life. In fact, 58 percent of respondents visit their pet's doctor more often than they visit their physician.

Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City, a paperless practice that purchased its first computer and electronic medical record system in 1993, prides itself on its commitment to using the latest technology. ?Adding computer radiography was a natural step in the evolution of our practice,? says co-owner Dr. Tina Neel.

What's the most pressing issue for small businesses that Congress and the President should address?

Effective delegation is undoubtedly the strongest productivity-improvement tool available. But here's a harsh reality check: Only 47 percent of staff members responding to a VetMedTeam survey indicated that their doctors delegate 80 percent to 100 percent of possible tasks.

My office manager suggested that we discount hard-to-collect, 90-day-past-due accounts as an incentive to encourage patients to pay at least something. We'd offer up to 25 percent off the bill, depending on how much the patient pays. We'd require the patient to adhere to a payment schedule until the debt's paid off. Is this a good solution or does it contribute to the problem?

Is it legal to leave a message on a client's answering machine saying that you received a returned check? What's the best way to handle this situation?

If you are upset or angry about something, you need to confront the situation. Avoidance of co-workers and strained relationships can result in further problems. However, this doesn't mean you have to confront immediately if you are too angry to be constructive right that minute.

Exit interviews are your best tool for learning why employees leave and how you might encourage them to stay. Use this form to gather this precious feedback from departing team members. (PDF)

Use this list of benefits to guide conversations with clients about spaying and neutering pets. (PDF)

This sample phone script shows the kind of professional, accurate answers you can develop for team members to use in all their interactions with clients. (PDF)

When you conduct regular performance reviews, you build better understanding with your employees, clarify your mutual goals, and give employees feedback about where they excel and could improve. Use this form to get started. (PDF)

What does your receptionist say to a client who claims to have forgotten his or her checkbook? Or how does your technician respond to an angry client? In such cases, is everyone following a similar script? Is what they're saying the best response? If not, role-playing may help.

Last month, we discussed the power of crafting a compelling practice vision. The next step: putting your vision in writing. As you're writing, see your vision as an already-accomplished reality, not merely as something you hope will happen. Write in the first person and present tense, creating a vivid mental image with as much detail as possible to bring your vision to life. Use all your senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste—to develop your description.

I'm a solo practitioner with only three employees. Are exit interviews really necessary?

It's difficult to really know what a job offers until you've been there a while (Catch-22!), but a little astute questioning can help. Use these questions as aids. Don't read them to prospective employers as a list of demands—gently work them into interviews when appropriate.

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.