Wendy Myers shares tips about getting control of hospital scheduling. Effective scheduling techniques improve patient care, hospital revenue and client satisfaction. Reclaiming control of your appointments will also boost employee morale, she says. Source: Veterinary Practice News, July 12, 2016. Get your practice's schedule under control with these tips: Ask questions … [Read more...]
Renegotiate P & L expense agreements
Andrew Clark, DVM, MBA, uses insurance expense to illustrate action steps when managing some of the expenses on your balance sheet. He reminds us that getting competitive comparisons regularly is important. Source: Is My Practice Healthy, July 29, 2016. Veterinarians tend to be as loyal to vendors as we wish our clients were loyal to us. Insurance coverage is often provided … [Read more...]
Is humility a virtue in business?
Humility is a characteristic that most people will agree is in short supply. But, most of us still admire it when we see it. Little in our culture today encourages a humble disposition and I believe this is a relatively new development. More than ever it seems that loudest, boldest and most obnoxious voices often garner our attention. Source: Mark’s Daily Apple, May 26, … [Read more...]
When veterinary clients spend the most—and the least
Dr. Ross Knippenberg, assistant director of economics with the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the association's economics intern Sean Barker have completed a deep dive into seasonality and client spending in veterinary clinics. They confirm that business is slowest in the winter. Their analysis quantifies this effect and shows what the national average looks … [Read more...]
The Veterinary Cooperative joins AHD Founders Circle
The Animal Health Digest team welcomes The Veterinary Cooperative to our Founders Circle group of companies. These companies support AHD, help grow our subscriber base and increase the value of AHD to subscribers and sponsors alike. Source: Animal Health Digest, July 18, 2016. The Veterinary Cooperative joins AAHA, Veterinary Study Groups, Inc., RPR Company and Forays Inc. … [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...]
Write smart. Talk smart. Look great.
Despite our best efforts, we all make errors when we write and talk. We often confuse words with their proper meanings. Travis Bradberry, president of TalentSmart, shares 20 words that, when misused, make smart people look silly. Source: Quartz, July 20, 2016. It’s the words that we think we’re using correctly that wreak the most havoc. We throw them around in meetings, … [Read more...]
Be tough, but fair
Some days it seems the business world has things upside down. Kindness is viewed as weakness. Empathy has no place in the business world. Ruthlessness is essential for success. Why, there are even training programs to help you go “from bud to boss.” Now, research that proves nice bosses can and do finish first. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, July 17, 2016. The thing is, nice … [Read more...]
The latest in JAVMA
Feedback from our subscribers has been positive about our postings of the tables of contents from industry scientific journals. Here are links to the latest issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Association. Source: JAVMA, July 15, 2016 (Vol 249; No. 2: pp. 122-229). Note the special report: The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2016 Veterinary Medical Care … [Read more...]
The science behind reading and influence
Michael Hyatt says, “A readership crisis is really a leadership crisis.” Readers are likely to be leaders. With reading in decline, readers have a comparative advantage in today’s business and political environments. Source: MichaelHyatt.com. Here are five ways reading can uniquely develop and empower leaders: Reading Makes us Better Thinkers Reading Improves Our … [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...]
The ABC’s of regenerative medicine for horses
Stem cell therapy can help a horse's body repair diseased or damaged tissues. Veterinarians have come far in understanding and using regenerative medicine. Yet, they have more to learn about how and when to use it. Source: The Horse, July 2016. (article summary only). The full article includes explanatory graphics. Regenerative medicine has been referred to by many people … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Add mosquito control to heartworm protocol
In this special insert, veterinarians and parasite researchers discuss heartworm disease and a new multimodal approach that may help solve it. The research and roundtable were sponsored by CEVA, a supporting sponsor of Animal Health Digest. Source: DVM 360, July 2016. We still have to administer the preventative – that is foundational and critical – but we can also reduce … [Read more...]
Journal of Dairy Science
The amount of research going on in animal health at any given point in time is amazing. It points to how much work goes into keeping animals healthy which creates a safer food supply chain. For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents from the latest issue of the Journal of Dairy Science. Source: Journal of Dairy Science, August 2016, Volume 99, Issue 8, … [Read more...]
Expect success
Strategy, skill and execution are important factors in achieving success in most businesses. However, too often the mental side of the challenge is overlooked in leading your team to the ultimate goal and success. There are some things you can do to help your business team prepare mentally to reach and exceed expectations. Source: Harvard Business Review June 9, … [Read more...]
Felines are aging healthfully
Cats now live longer than ever before, with one-fifth of U.S. cats being at least 11 years old. Many live beyond 15 years old and even into their 20s. Veterinarians should consider the normal, physiological changes that occur with age and the appropriate monitoring of them. Source: Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, July 2016. This issue is dedicated to the issues of … [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...]
Backyard Chickens 101: A quick guide for small-animal veterinarians
Backyard poultry raising is increasing in suburban and urban areas. As a result, veterinarians may be asked to provide veterinary care for chickens. This may present challenges for those who have rarely worked with them or have not dealt with them since veterinary school. Source: AVMA, July 13, 2016. (via AVMA SMARTBrief). To help veterinarians in these situations, the AVMA … [Read more...]
NAVTA, Merial expand CE for vet technicians
In addition to heartworm disease, the Merial Tech Champions program now includes intestinal parasites, dental health and flea/tick CE courses. These additional courses will debut at the upcoming AVMA convention in San Antonio, August 5 -9 , 2016. Source: NAVTA, July 14, 2016. CE course attendees can expect informative and thought-provoking content from some of the … [Read more...]
Create a veterinary office culture you’ll love
Steve Pearson, DVM, reminds us of the challenges of hiring new persons into the mix of current staff and cultures. While this information focuses on veterinary teams, the thinking can be applied to other teams, as well. He provides questions for the employer and candidate to consider during the hiring process. Source: Veterinary Practice News, July 7, 2016. It’s not enough … [Read more...]
What good listeners actually do
Researchers dug into what makes a great listener and grouped the qualities identified into four main findings along with identifying six levels of listening: Good listening is much more than being silent while the other person talks. Good listening included interactions that build a person’s self-esteem. Good listening was seen as a cooperative conversation. Good … [Read more...]
JAVMA contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Source: JAVMA, July 1, 2016. … [Read more...]
What to do when you don’t know what to do
Michael Hyatt offers three steps to follow when you're tired of feeling uncertain. Forget about the ultimate outcome. Focus on the next right action. Do something now! Source: MichaelHyatt.com, via AVMA SmartBrief, July 11, 2016. Feelings of uncertainty can quickly transform into a sense of being overwhelmed, Hyatt writes. In those situations, try to forget the … [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...]
Control impostor syndrome
Many of us fear being discovered as a poser when we move away from our comfort zones. We fear that we’re not worthy and that that we aren’t qualified to do whatever we aim to do. It’s a fear that strikes many of us: impostor syndrome. Source: Harvard Business Review, July 7, 2016. To overcome these feelings of inadequacy consider these tips: Recognize the benefits of … [Read more...]
Communication and Leadership
Most breakdowns in communication within a business initially seem like success to the communicator. They get their perception of the facts and come up with solutions that make sense to them. The problem is they didn’t get the other person’s perception of the facts. Thus solutions are not sensible to the person receiving the communication. Source: Finance Global Info, May 29, … [Read more...]
Help your team succeed
Avoid procrastinating For many people, procrastination is a strong and mysterious force that keeps them from completing the most urgent and important tasks with the same strength as trying to bring like poles of magnets together. It's also a potentially dangerous force, causing victims to fail out of school, perform poorly at work, put off medical treatment or delay saving … [Read more...]
Being a millennial: I expect more
Jill Heggen, public relations counsel, millennial and animal health communicator, shares how veterinary practices can effectively reach her and her counterparts. Her personal perspective mirrors how successful firms are reaching this important audience. Source: Swanson Russell. I grew up before the internet and digital media and on-demand TV. I grew with digital media as it … [Read more...]
Help your team succeed
Strategy, skill and execution are important to achieve success in most veterinary hospitals and practices. However, the mental side of the challenge is too often overlooked in leading the practice team to ultimate goals and successes. There are things you can do to help your hospital team mentally prepare to reach and exceed expectations. Source: Harvard Business Review, … [Read more...]