Andrew Clark offers some spot-on perspective discussing vendor discounts. We would add: Markup is a cost-based calculation while margin is a price-based formula Pricing and invoicing of dispensed items is a market-conditions discipline to remain competitive Free goods should be received at their unit value, not $0.00 Source: Is My Practice Healthy?, November 5, … [Read more...]
R E S P E C T retains clients
Steven Pearson, DVM, shares five ways to ensure your veterinary practice can meet clients' needs. He reminds us all that time is valuable, regardless on which side of the exam table you stand. He says practices must provide high-quality services in a relaxed and consistently respectful manner to reach their full potential. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 1, 2016. … [Read more...]
It’s OK to never wash your coffee mug
What? That was the first reaction to this headline. An interesting scientific take on those dirty, stained mugs that exist in nearly every office environment follows. Source: Science of US, November 3, 2016. It’s fine to never wash your mug, as long as you’re not sharing it with anybody else. Better than fine, in fact: It may actually be the most sanitary option. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
The evolving role of practice manager
Christine Shupe, executive director of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, shares her organization’s predictions of how the top trends in veterinary medicine influence the evolving role of practice manager. Source: Firstline, October 28, 2016. The VMHA surveyed industry leaders to gain insight into industry trends that influence the roles managers will play. Three … [Read more...]
Sales increase when using real-time customer data
Forrester Research, Inc., reported findings from a new, summarized in a report titled How B2B Sellers Win in the Age of the Customer. Sellers using what the study calls an evolved selling model had better results, which the report attributed to four key factors. They are: the ability to assemble and present content from various online sources on the fly the seller’s … [Read more...]
Managing with the new overtime pay laws
A new federal requirement effective December 1, 2016 raises the minimum salary needed to exempt most employees to $47,476 per year. Beyond the doubling of the current level, there are specific job categories or exemptions where overtime rights are considerations. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 2016. Cover page, continued on page 28. It is important to review the … [Read more...]
Building a non-emergency clientele
Animal health pros have historically talked about large animal veterinarians who were in fire truck practices. To change from a proactive environment instead of reacting to emergencies takes effort. Dr. David Van Metre, Dr. James England, Dr. Dee Whittler and John Hall share ideas about how to make this transition and get paid for it. Source: Beef Vet, Winter 2016, page … [Read more...]
7 tips to keep pets safe this Halloween
Halloween is Monday, October 31. The American Veterinary Medical Association offers seven, common-sense tips to keeps pets safe during this ghoulish time. It also offers a free client handout to AVMA members here. Source: American Veterinary Medical Association. Don’t feed your pets Halloween candy Make sure your pet is properly identified (microchip, collar and ID … [Read more...]
Ear cytology illustrated
Ear cytology provides an abundance of useful clinical information that is easily obtained with in-house testing. When combined with otoscopic examination findings, cytology is an efficient tool that help clinicians make a diagnosis and assess treatment response. Source: Clinician’s Brief, June 2016. Utilize these photo images to review common findings present on ear … [Read more...]
Payne talks about Compassion-First Pet Hospitals
John Payne, founder and CEO of Compassion-First Pet Hospitals, discusses the Mayo Clinic-like approach to veterinary care he envisions. This vision includes exceptional care for animals and the need for a positive experience for both the client and referring veterinarian. Source: Vet Advantage, September 2016, page 24. We have to be good listeners. Rather than thinking we … [Read more...]
Find the right job culture fit
Whether you are a receptionist, vet tech or DVM, the culture of your workplace is an important component of your individual or business success. While this article is written for prospective employees, it also provides a checklist for practice owners to increase their hospital’s profitability. Source: Pulse, August 24, 2016. We all hope to work for a company that’s clear, … [Read more...]
X-rays tell the story
The headline says it all, “They ate what?” The honorable mention images from the 2016 x-ray contest give a view of the challenges created when animals ingest things not intended for their consumption. We think you’ll enjoy the cases shown and could use some of them in client education as well. Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 2016, page 30. … [Read more...]
Music at work makes a difference
Little research has been done about how music played in retail and office settings affects employees. So, a group of Cornell PhDs recruited 188 undergrads to participate in a voluntary contribution mechanism experiment. It measures and manipulates cooperative behavior among research subjects. One third of the group listened to “happy” music, another third listened to “unhappy” … [Read more...]
Catheters suspect in hospital-acquired infections
Hospital-acquired bloodstream infections most commonly originate from IV catheters and should be suspected in any patient with an IV catheter that develops systemic inflammatory response syndrome without an extravascular infection source. Adoption of hospital-cleaning protocols and standard operating procedures for clinical tasks enables all members of the veterinary team to … [Read more...]
Preparing for IRS Section 179 tax deductions
The end of the year will be here before you know it. Now is a good time to look into those capital equipment options to help take advantage of the IRS Section 179 tax deductions. Pam Foster shares information targeted for distribution representatives in this two-part series. The information is applicable to veterinary teams as well. Source: Vet Advantage Blog. Starting … [Read more...]
The routine exam video
Videos help set expectations for clients and educate new staff members. Consider this one for websites, blogs and newsletters. Link to it for new clients coming to your practice or use it during school or group presentations. Source: AVMA SmartBrief, July 27, 2016. Preventive care visits are an important part of keeping your pet happy and healthy. But what does a … [Read more...]
Drug abuse and addiction in the veterinary workplace
Jon Geller, DVM, DABVP, writes about this serious issue in veterinary medicine. He cites veterinary team access to a large variety of mind-altering, potentially addictive drugs, including controlled and non-controlled substances. He also notes light or non-existent drug testing, light inventory access and control, and inconsistent employee assistance programs for substance … [Read more...]
Isolate when canine flu hits
If you're seeing canine influenza in your practice, recent findings show it's best to suggest a 21-day isolation period. A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association that tested shelter dogs with H3N2 canine influenza found that the virus was shed intermittently for up to 24 days after the initial positive test. Source: DVM 360, July 18, … [Read more...]
Practice management hacks: Advice to a new manager on standards of care
The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) shared exclusive data with Veterinary Economics which shares a series of practice management "hacks" or best-kept secrets from VHMA members. Source: Veterinary Economics, July 7, 2016. VHMA members spill their best kept secrets for better patient care. Treat your technician staff well and value their input. Tell them … [Read more...]
AAHA releases 2016 Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
It is difficult for practitioners to keep up with new research, trend, and practices related to oncology. There is new resource to help. AAHA released its 2016 Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (“Guidelines”), a go-to resource general practitioners can use with oncology patients. The Guidelines are broken down into 14 areas. Sections include basic diagnostic tests and … [Read more...]
AVMA launches clinical studies database
The AVMA has launched an animal health studies database as a resource for researchers looking for animals animals to use in clinical studies and for veterinarians and owners exploring treatment options. Source: AVMA SmartBrief, July 8, 2016. Veterinarians and animal owners may search the site to find studies that might be relevant to their patient or pet, either for a … [Read more...]
Effective hot spot treatment
Paul Bloom, DVM, compares pyotraumatic dermatitis and pyotraumatic folliculitis/furunculosis. The article includes good images, as well. Source: Animal Health Solutions, June 2016. Page 22. Skin scrapings should be performed to rule out demodicosis with a secondary bacterial folliculitis and furunculosis as the cause of the lesion. Treatment involves completely removing the … [Read more...]
Practice like you are being sued
Nicole Palumbo, DVM, offers perspective after reviewing information following a colleague’s death. She shares 10 disciplines for communication and record-keeping that can help should a suit arise. Source: Dr. Andy Roark, April 23, 2016. I didn’t want to become a paranoid veterinarian, but I did want to use that feeling of being under investigation to better myself. These … [Read more...]
Bounce back from service mistakes
How you react to service mistakes can determine whether the customer stays long term or is just lost. Source: Repertoire Magazine, April 2016. If you make a mistake, don’t despair. Most people remember the recovery more than the misstep and often appreciate when you go above and beyond to correct a situation. Treat every problem as a customer service opportunity, and you … [Read more...]
Rabies increasing in North America
Rabies vaccination and prevention measures remain critical to our animal populations. Wild animals, even with population control measures in place, still spread the disease. Note the rabies variant distribution map among mesocarnivores and consider sharing this information with animal owners in the course of animal health discussions. Source: Journal of the American … [Read more...]
Clipper blade contamination studied
Infections acquired during a hospital visit (nosocomial infections) and the objects that are contaminated with infectious organisms and serve in their transmission (fomites) led researchers to study clipper blades. Contaminated clipper blades have been cited as potential fomites in veterinary and human medicine. The study also reviewed cleaning, disinfection and storage … [Read more...]
Ethics important when deciding on rebates, incentives
Doctors Messer, Peterson and Morgan provide perspective on the influence of animal health company rebates or incentives on product choices in this article. It reviews ethics and professional guidelines from AAEP and the AVMA plus the need for clinical diagnoses and VCPR. Source: Equine Veterinary Education, AE, February 2016, page III. (direct link unavailable) Certainly … [Read more...]
Gender-sorted semen can improve beef herd
The next level of sophistication in herds that use artificial insemination (AI) is the selective use of gender-sorted semen. Dairy producers have experienced the benefits of limiting male calf production as males have little value. Justin Rhinehart with the University of Tennessee Extension, discusses the advantages and challenges of using gender-sorted technology in building … [Read more...]
Spending on pets up in 2015
Americans spent almost $61 billion on pets in 2015 – a 4.4 percent increase from 2014. This article notes cautious optimism about the future of the pet industry and cites areas of success and others that are experiencing challenges. Source: Reuters, February 22, 2016. The amount of money being spent on pets has increased every year since 1994, according to the American Pet … [Read more...]
Help clients with species-appropriate diets
One hundred percent of dogs and cats that visit a veterinary hospital or retail center eat some type of food. The diet category gets more confusing every day. Most animal owners make diet choices with little information. This article compares the needs of cats and dogs eating raw diets and presents the realities of species differences. Source: Dogs Naturally, February 19, … [Read more...]