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Looking into labor laws: minimum wages and child labor
November 1st 2004Workers covered under the Federal Labor Standards Act are entitled to the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. And, should you be paying that low in your practice, you can't deduct money from wages for such items as cash or merchandise shortages, uniforms, and other tools of the trade if those reductions put the employee's wages below the minimum wage or reduce the amount of overtime pay due.
10 steps to a smoother running practice
October 1st 2004Recently, a veterinarian in the process of hiring a new practice manager asked me "What are the 10 things a practice manager needs to know to be effective?" What a great question! It took a little thinking to narrow the "must-know" list to just 10 items. But whether you're an owner-veterinarian, a practice manager, or the owner's managing spouse, I think you need to apply these strategies to manage the practice effectively.
How to manage personality conflicts in practice
September 17th 2004The trite phrase, "personality conflicts," allows key issues to be ignored or defined out of existence in daily operations. The term could mean the practice did not hire for "team fit," or they did not establish a "safe-haven" environment when establishing behavior expectations.
Matching associates and practices
September 1st 2004You know that finding the right associate is an investment in the future. After all, the associate will represent you in the exam room and in the community, will reflect your practice philosophy, and may eventually be a candidate for co-ownership. But we regularly hear practice owners say it's not that easy to find a great associate.
Targeting changing vaccine protocols
September 1st 2004The hard truth: You've been your own worst enemies when it comes to vaccinations. (And the only reason we can say that is that we lived those days in practice, too.) In the 1970s and '80s many veterinarians derived a substantial percent of their total incomes from vaccinating dogs and cats. They marked vaccinations up tremendously over their costs and, at the same time, didn't charge clients a separate exam or office call fee. Practices told clients that the exam or office call was "included in the cost of the vaccines."
Create a plan for employee discipline
July 1st 2004Several 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.
Case Study: Dental Lecture Series Improves Patient Care and Compliance Statewide
June 23rd 2004Teaching 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.
Who's responsible for drumming up business?
April 1st 2004As a management consultant, Dr. Karen Felsted is no stranger to controversy. Yet, even she was surprised by the emotion owners and associates showed during a discussion about the role associates should play in attracting clients. Dr. Felsted, CPA, MS, CVPM, was one of four moderators for the session, which took place during the Central Veterinary Conference last August.
The benefits of becoming a diplomate
April 1st 2004Looking to get more out of your veterinary practice experience? I know I once dreamed of becoming board certified in surgery, internal medicine, or another specialty. But somehow my plans changed when I entered the real world. Happily, I learned that the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) rewards committed practitioners who wish to attain a new level of patient care and professional satisfaction by giving them an avenue to attain board certification that doesn't involve the traditional residency programs.
Fallout from a malpractice case
March 1st 2004For more than a decade, I've practiced emergency medicine in small metropolitan emergency clinics. According to several colleagues, I practice good medicine and am a competent surgeon. Although I haven't reached a point in my career where I feel like I am an excellent veterinarian, I'm usually competent. Despite all this, I messed up. But, under the same circumstances, I believe this episode could have happened to almost anyone. Here's how my story unfolded:
Has your associate's salary peaked?
January 1st 2004The first year in practice can feel like a mountain climb at 70 miles per hour to a recent graduate who suddenly needs to deal with all manner of practice chaos and the patient that presents with lameness or disease. An associate who joins the practice in mid-career still likely feels that the highway runs uphill as he or she adapts to the new team. But with more experience under the belt, he or she faces fewer unexpected twists and turns. For both doctors, the road eventually levels out, their careers kick into fourth gear, and practice life begins to roll smoothly toward the horizon.
Setting boundaries helps block conflict and stress
January 1st 2004Several years ago, some colleagues and I began a support group for veterinarians. We met for almost two years and discussed a broad range of topics. I soon noticed that the solutions to almost all of the problems raised included setting limits with other people. For example, we brainstormed the best way to handle an unreasonably demanding client, how to approach recurrent staff problems, and why staff members honor some policies and violate others.