Practice Manager

How should we control our consumables, such as bandage and suture materials and other hospital supplies that we use but seldom charge for?

Debt, relationship problems, illness--it can be hard to cope with the issues life throws at you. And sometimes pesky problems cling so tightly that they follow you to work. Here's how to shake loose.

The world is full of contradictions. One person will say you need to do more saving for a rainy day, and the next will say you need to live in the moment and relish the joys each day brings. They may both be right. Which makes it your job to steer a path between the two.

We asked new grad Dr. W. Andrew Rollo to team up with experienced practitioner Dr. Philip VanVranken to talk about the worries practitioners face in that first year—and what owners and associates can do to smooth the transition to practice.

As graduation approaches, my mind is a whirlwind of questions, concerns, and hopes. I'm ready to practice?mostly. Yet there's one topic that leaves me wary: salary. While production-based compensation and traditional salary historically have been the only two options, they each have room for improvement. But there's a third choice: the ProSal formula, developed by Hospital Management Editor Mark Opperman, CVPM. To understand why I think ProSal is right for me and other new associates, consider these pros and cons.

No one likes to feel ignored. So if your great ideas are flowing in one of your boss's ears and streaming right out the other, use these solutions to get yourself heard.

I'm feeling overwhelmed and ready to quit. How can I renew my love for veterinary medicine?

Q: I'm a recent graduate, and I find that the clients I see have no preference for which doctor examines their pet. How can I develop my own clientele?

Standards of care set the stage for you and your clients so you can work together to help pets stay sleek, strong, and full of energy.

A co-worker told me in confidence that he was looking for a new job. I encouraged my friend to tell the doctor he wasn't happy and to try to work things out, but he quit instead and took a job at a rival practice. Now the doctor is mad at me. He says I'm not loyal. I disagree. Who's right?

No one follows our time schedules—I regularly work at least 30 minutes after my shift was supposed to end. Is this fair?

Sometimes I am just so completely right. And yet, the world doesn't notice. That's when it's hardest for me to stay cool under pressure. And that's when I'm most likely to blow it-and blow my top. Identify? And yet, these touchy moments are the times when I most need to find a way to stay calm, cool, and collected.

A few ill-chosen words can leave your message garbled. So if you see confusion or anger when you expected a smile, rewind your conversation and look for these verbal miscues.

I'm a manager, but the doctor won't give me the authority to discipline employees when necessary. What do I do?

The doctor won't fire a problem employee. What can I do?

It?s easy to overlook the problems that come with making clients wait. We think, ?Hey, it comes with the territory.? We make excuses. And we hedge our bets, knowing most clients only grow dissatisfied when they wait more than 30 minutes. But that approach won?t wow clients. In fact, even a short wait may leave clients disgruntled. So it?s an issue you should aim to manage.

In 56 percent of practices, team members begin educating clients about geriatric care when their pets are 7 to 9 years old, according to a recent survey by VetMedTeam.com.

The veterinarian I work for has anger-control problems. He can be verbally abusive to staff members and sometimes clients. What can I do?

How can I prepare to volunteer during a disaster?

As the practice manager, how can I encourage team members to come to me with their problems first, before approaching the owner?

The veterinarian I work for has questionable ethics; he treats animals in ways that clients wouldn't approve. Can I do anything about it?

The doctor doesn't apply practice policies consistently. How can I ask for fair treatment?

We've all had that day when we feel like a bedraggled cartoon character who's being pursued by a malevolent rain cloud. It seems as though the sun is shining on everyone else, but not on us. But you can break free. Inspiring, right?

There's never enough time in your day—so make every moment in the exam room count. And remember, even small improvements in exam-room procedures can dramatically improve your whole team's efficiency.

I'm the first person in the office every morning, and the evening staff always leaves messes for me to clean up. How can I encourage them to pull their weight?

We never have staff meetings, and no one ever knows what's going on in the practice. How can we encourage staff meetings?

I've met a lot of great doctors. And I like them. As a group, I think veterinarians are among the nicest people on the planet. And, just like you, they have a special calling to help pets that sets them apart from other professionals. But that doesn't mean every doctor is a joy to work for or with. And I know they're not always that open to doing things differently.

It's hard to find the right words when you're broaching a topic that could spark tempers. Here's help to head off eruptions with co-workers, clients, or the boss.

The practice owner won't invest in a piece of new equipment that I think we really need. How can I convince her to buy?

This new publication is brought to you from the editors of Veterinary Economics, the magazine that veterinarians turn to for the information and inspiration they need to create successful practices and coach successful teams. But Firstline is designed just for you.