Business

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.

My team finally convinced me that it's time to repaint. I like white, but am I just boring?

The best way to educate clients is by combining dialogue with visual aids.

My team finally convinced me that it's time to repaint. I like white, but am I just boring?

Everyone loves free stuff?and practices often receive free scrubs, totes, pet food, and more. But how do you make sure you distribute the bounty fairly? "We hold a yearly raffle and give the year's accumulation of gifts as prizes," says Beth Montoya, office manager at Pembroke Veterinary Clinic in Virginia Beach, Va.

This year will likely be a lot like last year, if you expect it to be. Why? In general, we get what we expect.

With the help of a patient-care coordinator, Veterinary Medical Clinic in Tampa, Fla., is seeing double-digit growth for the first time in years--and patients are enjoying even healthier lives, says practice owner Dr. Eddie Garcia. "The patient wins because it gets a better follow-up on what the doctor recommends and a better quality of life, and the client gets to enjoy the pet longer. The clinic wins because we're providing the service and making the income," he says.

Worried that your employees aren't working effectively? Try a tip from Ethics4Everyone, by Eric Harvey and Scott Airitam (Performance Systems Corp., 2002).

Facing a big change in your role? The resources can help!

Despite the fun of the holidays, the season leaves many people stressed out instead of refreshed and ready for the year ahead. With these tips from Vitality magazine, you can relax and enjoy 2005.

Sure, Brownie's not as spry as she used to be," says your slightly indignant client, petting her basset hound's bowling ball stomach. "But that doesn't mean that she's not a healthy, happy dog, Doctor."

Good employees, those with the work ethic and constructive attitude needed to make your practice prosper, must not be infected with Apartment-Car Syndrome.

The usual encounter starts with a progress-notes entry for the client concern, a weight (hopefully sequential with a body-condition score), a TPR, a BP, lead II ECG, tonopen screen and maybe even a urinary kidney screen.

Financial planning early in your career is perhaps the most important thing you can do to make sure you accomplish your personal and professional goals. In fact, the day you leave school would be a great time to start planning. But regardless of your age or career stage, it's never too late to gain value from a hard look at your financial situation and advice from a financial advisor who can help you identify and implement your financial plan. Here are the essential components of a financial plan:

Of course, you use keys and locks to keep valuables secure, but you lose some of the benefits if you don't control the keys. Think about these questions to decide whether you need to tighten up security:

Pets that passed away during the year get their wings during the holiday season at Companion Animal Hospital of Selinsgrove in Selinsgrove, Penn. Assistant office manager Laura Bickhart suggested making angel wings to hang on the hospital's Christmas tree in the reception area to honor patients who had passed away.

I have an elderly client who I don't think can properly care for her pet any longer. How should I approach her?