Business

Mexico City-Expanding into the international arena is no longer just a dream for Banfield, The Pet Hospital. The nation's largest veterinary hospital opened its first international site late last month in the United Kingdom and recently finalized plans to build a small animal teaching hospital at the Universidad Nacional Autonome de Mexico (UNAM).

Renovating an empty two-story building across the street helped this feline practice attract clients, which boosted practice revenue and helped improve the quality of care Dr. Diane Steinberg offered.

You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.

Product Focus: Dietary Supplements

The owner of a five doctor veterinary practice in Afurpiecefrumhear, Missouri loved to hunt. Every year, he would take one of his associates with him into the wilderness to test their skills against non-patients.

Feline Diseases Fact Sheet

Canine Diseases Fact Sheet

It depends how big you build--and on the site fees, appraisals, zoning fees, and interest rate. Here's help with your estimate.

In my June column, I discussed situations where communications between the dairy practitioner and client broke down, leaving the doctor "out of the loop" with disease outbreaks. Since then, I have worked on two farms where the herd veterinarian was deeply and routinely involved with herd decisions. This involvement started with participation in farm management meetings.

To improve your chances for success, Denise Tumblin, CPA, co-owner and vice president of Wutchiett Tumblin and Associates, says you need to consider the cost and return you can expect in the first year of practice. She offers this example of the potential costs:

There's one person Dr. Dave Richards must confront every time he prepares to raise fees in practice - himself.

Pastures that were dry and thin last year are now lush and green, thanks to a generally wet spring this year.

Dr. Bill Wilson looked blankly at Jan, his office manager.

Congress passed and the President signed into law a $330 billion, 10-year tax cut plan that will have a significant impact on the tax bills of every veterinarian - and their practices.

1. Pay for subscriptions by credit card. That gives you federal Fair Credit Billing Act rights to dispute a bill for unsatisfactory advice in dealing with professional services, which you don't otherwise have. If you buy a turkey baster based on the magazine's recommendations and it turns out to be unsatisfactory, I would immediately ask for a refund of my subscription charges.

The easy way into trouble is simple; immediately jump upon, endorse, and adopt every new product, every new technique, every new concept and every new drug.

Experts estimate labor costs and benefits rank as top income eaters among the nation's veterinary practices.

Product Focus: Diagnostic Imaging - X-ray Supplies

The reasons for building new practices are as varied as the doctors who build them. Some want space for new services. Some want to reflect their medical style. Some want it all. Dr. Mark G. Romain, though, had a humble goal: to build a hospital with a functional floor plan.

Dr. Michael Merrithew doesn't think he'll be quick to make any changes to his vaccine protocols despite a recent report from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) that calls for reduction in vaccinating dogs.

Playing "God" with clients is the veterinary version of "the revenge of the nerds."

Pullman, Wash.-A new tool could be at hand for "subtyping" strains of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria that cause food-borne illness, thanks to scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture.

A client comes into the office with a printout of some Internet article claiming that veterinarians are recommending vaccines that are simply unnecessary. What do you tell this client? More importantly, how do you train your staff to handle this?

Risk Factor Questionnaire for Client

Uncle Sam, in the form of our tax laws, is willing to pick up a portion of the expenses of every veterinarian attending a trade show, meeting or similar event.

Dr. Jim Irwin schools you on how to provide clients with a thorough understanding on recommendations to increase the level of acceptance for care.

Back to basics: Support yourself by providing a valuable service to clients

In the March/April issue of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), an Executive Summary of the 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines was published. A full text of the guidelines, recommendations, and supporting literature is available to AAHA members on the organization's Web site (www.aahanet.org).

DVM degree allows entry to 'spin zone' even paparazzi would envy

Ms. Karyn Gavzer identifies the barriers that prevent the veterinary team from getting clients to act on prescribed medical services.