Technicians

Listen to audio from the Firstline roundtable.

Listen to audio from the Firstline roundtable.

Orlando, Fla. –– Reality-show veterinarian Holly Knor learned to trust the strength of the human-animal bond as a toddler more than three decades ago. Her faith in it continues today, guiding the care she gives her patients.

Keep your clients happy-from when they make an appointment until they're done with follow-up care.

Our client folders are arranged by last name, but approximately one-third of them are in the wrong place. Is it most efficient to file customer folders by name, or is there a better way?

2007 BPA Statement -- Veterinary Medicine

How can I tell if my marketing efforts are effective? What's the best way to measure the results?

Do client notes disappear after you paper clip them to a patient chart? Do your blood work or hospital notes sneak into the wrong file? Maybe it's time to kick the paper clip habit, says Jean Weaver, hospital administrator at Catawba Animal Clinic in Rock Hill, S.C. "Our doctors would use two or three clips on charts to try to keep notes and educational materials together," Weaver says. "These notes would inevitably fall off or become attached to another chart in the discharge box."

One technician reveals how she made her career flower, got raises, and offered a higher standard of care.

You're no punching bag, so don't let anyone treat you like one. Use these bully-busting strategies to reclaim your practice.

Dr. Smith (not his real name) relates this true tale of a covert bully's attack on an unsuspecting team.

Little irritations can cause bigger flare-ups if you don't swat them early. Use these tips to manage six stressful situations.

What you say--and what clients hear--may be worlds apart. When you're fishing for the right words to satisfy clients' questions, avoid these most misunderstood answers.

Everyone has a great story. Maybe it's the one you tell at Christmas parties or the tale that makes your friends groan every time you launch into the opening line: "A few years ago there was this Great Dane ..."

Feel like you have a bright, shiny target tattooed on your forehead? Chances are, a bully singled you out for a reason. Here are eight profiles of common bully targets. Even if you can't dodge the attack, you'll understand better why you're the one dodging missiles.

Q: I'm a technician and I'm interested in zoological medicine. How can I get started in the field?

With six exam rooms, it could be difficult for the team at Nassau Veterinary Clinic in Nassau, N.Y., to keep track of which doctors are in each room.

What's the biggest mistake you've made in practice?

Ask Amy: I work with a serial gossiper

Maybe you're not a morning person. That's no excuse for waiting until after lunch to greet your team.

You reach for the nail clippers and ? gone. Foiled again. It's anyone's guess whether they're stuffed in someone's scrub pocket or they've slithered underneath the counter in the lab again.

Wanted: Lead male vocalist with an aura of power, a hint of bad boy, and a job as a veterinary technician or veterinarian.

Q: What are the benefits of in-house versus outside lab work?

You don't need to work very hard to make clients feel uncomfortable, dissatisfied, or irritated. Here's a look at 10 ways to chase off clients.

Q: At the clinic where I work we have several clients who own more animals than they can care for properly. What is the best way to approach an animal collector?

What's a pet worth? It may be more than you think. Consider the case of Fluffy.

Saying goodbye is never easy. And you face this undeniable fact of life every day. The upside: You're in a position to ease your clients through the grieving process and help them celebrate the pets they love.

Sell clients on bloodwork for young and old pets.

Think you're immune to lawsuits because you don't own the practice? Think again. Protect your hospital--and yourself--from the legal pitfalls in your path with this advice from savvy doctors and lawyers.

Q: Is our doctor legally required to provide us with a break room?