Business

The owners say they'd be happy to live in their new equine practice. Here's how they achieved this level of comfort.

Veterinarians are more often than not in competition for a handful of qualified and registered technicians.

The value of good will is purely a function of what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller is willing to accept.

Every veterinary practice must continue to capitalize the costs of acquiring intangible business assets.

Maximizing profit means stripping the practice of capital by a variety of means...

Organizational procedures can help a practice deliver consistent, quality care.

In recent articles I have talked about better record keeping and how to write a job description; both of these articles have one thing in common they require the entire team to be involved. So how do you motivate and keep the team going in the forward direction?

Dr. Bill Swartz, owner of Clocktower Animal Hospital in Herndon, Va., says his six-doctor practice saves nearly $36,000 a year through a buying group.

At Seaside Animal Care in Calabash, N.C., Dr. Ernest E. Ward Jr. knows that 20 percent of his canine patients will develop osteoarthritis at some point. To combat this statistic, Dr. Ward conducts a comprehensive senior arthritis program designed to lengthen the lives of his patients and improve their quality of life, strengthen the bond at his practice, and bolster his bottom line.

Osteoarthritis survey

Colorado forces owners to implant identification chips as New York lawmakers consider a similar measure for companion animals

The phrase "open book management" means many different things to different people, and in some arenas makes the staff cringe with fear of the charts posted on the wall and the monthly beatings which occur when they do not reach their assigned quotas.

Veterinarians should chart the progression a cat may experience while on the diet.

You can create a small, successful exotic ward with no more space than an unused storage room and boost the service you offer owners of exotic pets, says Dr. Jennifer Graham, Dipl. ABVP. "Clients are beginning to ask, 'Are the exotics kept separate from the other pets?' and 'What special treatment can you provide?' " Dr. Graham says. "Clients know these issues are important and will evaluate the practice on team members' responses."

Almost all tips for interviewing are written to help the person being interviewed do well. What if you're the boss and the one conducting the interview?

Senior wellness screenings reveal abnormalities in 23 percent of dogs and 17 percent of cats with normal physical exam results, according to a 1999 study conducted by Antech Diagnostics. Dr. Daniel Brod, co-owner of Deer Creek Animal Hospital in Littleton, Colo., uses this statistic during wellness exams to communicate the importance of annual senior testing to clients. He says that in about one of four senior dogs he tests, he identifies early disease processes, such as renal, liver, or thyroid disease-that's about 15 percent higher than in younger dogs at his practice. And he says that the study results mirror his findings in senior feline patients as well.

"John called me last night. He has been offered a position in a practice near his girl friend, and he thinks he must accept it. He says he only learned of it a few days ago. He will be leaving in two weeks."

Several years ago I attended a seminar entitled "Employee Discipline and Performance Mistakes." Afterwards, I wrote up a simple, step-by-step plan for dealing with common employee discipline problems, like tardiness, not following the dress code or standards of conduct, failing to compete tasks or checklists.

Professional reward... is closely aligned with a thoughtfully managed hospital.

Negative incentives can also be enforced, like subtractions for tardiness... and incomplete worksheets.

Baby steps won't get you the facility of your dreams, these doctors say. Take the plunge, anticipate your future needs, and center the entire plan on your practice mission.

All doctors who plan to build hear from colleagues who've been there before that they should build bigger than they think they need to. Drs. Kate Knutson and Steve Barghusen took those words to heart--working in an extra 3,700 square feet for future expansion.

Teaching proper dental care is part of the program at Pet Crossing Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic in Bloomington, Minn. And they aren't just teaching their staff members. Co-owners Drs. Katherine Knutson and Stephen Barghusen are using a dental lecture series to help practices statewide improve their standard of dental care and improve client compliance.

Bringing on a new associate, making an associate a partial owner, selling out to an existing associate or bringing in an outside owner all will change the dynamics within a team.

Practice owners need to strategize on employee compensation.

Englewood, Colo.-Dr. Patricia N. Olson will lead the Morris Animal Foundation as its executive director.

The point is to increase the risk of detection to a point that most of those with the inclination to steal will be discouraged.

How do we reconcile that financial limitations are a significant burden to our patients?

You must consider your ability to continue investing through periods of high and low price levels.

There ought to be a long line waiting to "pony up" for the good of the profession.