Reminders remain a significant component for ensuring veterinary clients return to the practice. Brenda Tassava, CVPM, CVJ, VLCE, discusses mixing the old with the new methods and provides a refreshed reminder strategy complete with tactical elements and timelines. She also discusses the value of forward bookings in the context of reminders. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
AAHA updates its Standards of Accreditation
The standards are continually reviewed and updated by experts to ensure they promote cutting-edge best practices in practice management and veterinary medicine. AAHA Red provided some of the changes going into effect for accreditation evaluations scheduled January 1, 2019 and beyond. Source: AAHA Red, November 5, 2018. Link. Review the changes online … [Read more...]
The 9-Minute Rule for customer satisfaction (includes video)
Improving animal owner experiences is important to increasing customer satisfaction and retention. Jessica Molina, PHR, CVPM, CCFP, shares the 9-Minute Rule that aims to improve customer relations and increase positive performance reviews on social media. Customers look for instant gratification and often feel forgotten if they are waiting too long. Source: VHMA, Practice Tip … [Read more...]
Implementing change can be challenging
Why do the results of even good plans and strategies sometimes fall short of our expectations in the execution? The implementation can be far more difficult than the planning. The reason? People. People have different reactions and points of view, different interests and needs. Source: Veterinary Advantage, November 2018. Link. Buy-in is a powerful thing. It takes the … [Read more...]
An upside to a disturbing canine blood donor story
Beyond the negative press about a canine blood supply company is a significant community-based opportunity. The public exposure of housing conditions for donor dogs prompted Dr. Nicholas Dodman to ask dog lovers to consider the best practices for blood donation. Veterinarians can encourage their clients to volunteer large, healthy dogs occasionally to have their blood drawn … [Read more...]
Clearing up cancer treatments for cats
Dr. Kristine E. Burgess believes that some misconceptions about cats and cancer that need to be cleared up. While there are several treatment options available, it’s important to know that not all types of cancer respond well to treatment and some treatments are only available at specialty hospitals. Quality of life comes first. Source: Catnip, December 2018. Link. There … [Read more...]
Pet ownership continues to climb, AVMA findings
The 2017-2018 edition of the Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook found that nearly 57 percent of all U.S. households owned a pet at end of 2016. Of those, 38 percent owned one or more dogs, 25 percent owned one or more cats. More than 13 percent of U.S. households owned a specialty or exotic pet in 2016, a 25 percent increase from 2011. The incidence of poultry owned … [Read more...]
Non-verbal client cues you’re missing
Animal health pros are great at reading animals, but often struggle with human interactions. In this article, experts share messages sent through nonverbal displays that are volumes louder than what’s actually being said. Hearing people . . . assume the other person understood us because they heard us, despite language being inherently vague. Source: Fast Company, November … [Read more...]
Celebrating animal health pros with thanks!
Our team at Animal Health Digest extends best wishes to animal health professionals, their families and friends for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season. Through floods, hurricanes, fires, drought, growing disease concerns, expanding vector threats and advancing technologies, animal health pros continue to find ways to serve animals and animal owners. THANK … [Read more...]
Packing the perfect suitcase
We’re an industry on the go. Managing the amount of luggage you need is important and can be cost effective. Paring down can make travel more enjoyable. Your trip will be easier—and cheaper—if you take less and pack efficiently Source: Consumer Reports, November 1, 2018. Link. Follow these steps to pack your suitcase like a pro: Make a List—Strategically Pare Down … [Read more...]
3 things all emails should include
You probably don’t put much thought into crafting an email. This means it’s likely you are making some potentially embarrassing mistakes. Most of us have not been trained on crafting good emails making them ripe for misuse. As communication tools like instant messaging are added to the workplace, the purpose and strength of email has started to shift, says Nick Morgan. ““Text … [Read more...]
5 problems with inventory—and ways to solve them
Nicole Clausen, CSGGB, brings inventory management back to basics and shares five problems and how to address them. Is your problem “too much” or “not enough”? Is your problem “too many”? Is your problem “too price-y”? Is your problem “not enough info”? Is your problem “not enough money”? Source: VETTED, October 17, 2018. Link. Inventory is like a … [Read more...]
If it was your money, would you spend it like that?
Mike Figliuolo shares a summary of a survey about employee stewardship of resources. Twenty percent of respondents have issues with people being good stewards of their organization’s resources. A culture of waste can have a tremendous negative impact over time. Source: SmartBrief, October 9, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider making this a topic to discuss at the next staff … [Read more...]
Opinion: Not my problem: A moral philosophy
I’m including this as food for thought. At first, I thought maybe Jessica Wildfire was on to something that made sense. And it does, but only to a certain point. That point for me was when Wildfire wrote, “Sure, he might cause a major disaster. But that disaster isn’t your problem.” Constantly bailing out others might help your boss, or your company. But it doesn’t help … [Read more...]
5 wisdoms that rule the herd
Raising cattle happens in many different ways. Sarah Brown shares five rules of wisdom to keep in mind: Work with a good veterinarian and be fanatic about animal health. You get what you pay for Cull out the crazy cows Good fences make better neighbors Plan for tomorrow today. Source: Drovers, November 7, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider these five wisdoms … [Read more...]
Are you productive enough?
Elizabeth Grace Saunders discusses productivity, measurement and improvement and how to tell if you’re meeting expectations. She narrows the definition of “productive enough” to whether you are meeting the requirements of your job when operating at your personal peak performance. It’s a good perspective to consider as we begin holiday obligations. Source: Harvard Business … [Read more...]
Petco to stop selling cat, dog food with artificial ingredients
Petco, the second-largest U.S. pet retailer is going all-natural. To a point. Representatives for the chain say that by next May, cat and dog treats and food sold at its retail locations and online will contain no artificial flavors, preservatives and colors. Company officials believe healthier foods and snacks that replace items with artificial ingredients will make up more … [Read more...]
6 tips for managing canine and feline diabetes
Even though diabetes is treatable, pet owners are asked to do a lot to manage their pet's disease, making communication with the veterinary team essential, writes David Bruyette, DVM, DACVIM. He shares six ways you can help your clients manage their insulin-challenged pets. Source: DVM 360, November 18, 2018. Link. Explain the goals of therapy for diabetic pets. Go … [Read more...]
Dog DNA tests, valuable or just more confusion
A growing number of veterinary clients bring DNA reports with them to appointments. These tests are not subject to standards or regulations to ensure they are accurate or reliable. Finding a veterinarian that can interpret the reports is yet another issue. Sarah Zhang has written a situation analysis that has value for animal health pros. Source: The Atlantic, November … [Read more...]
Navigate the gray areas of what constitutes sexual harassment
Much negative reaction to women’s voices being raised about sexual harassment stems from a lack of understanding about what exactly constitutes harassment. Because there is a lot of gray area in determining mild to serious forms of gender-based offenses, Kathleen Kelley Reardon developed the Spectrum of Sexual Misconduct at Work (SSMW). It helps people define and differentiate … [Read more...]
Working with people who lack self-awareness
Self-awareness, knowing who we are and how we’re seen is important for job performance, career success and leadership effectiveness. It is in remarkably short supply in today’s workplace, writes Tasha Eurich, PhD. She offers perspectives and ways to deal with challenges caused by self-awareness issues. . . . although 95% of people think they’re self-aware, only 10 to 15% … [Read more...]
VetPartners; Benefits of a loyalty program
Managing the client churn rate is important to develop and maintain practice income. Loyalty programs can be effective retention vehicles. Existing customers have the potential to spend more. A lot more!” Stacee Santi, DVM Source: VetPartners Blog, October 11, 2018. Link. Not all loyalty programs are created equal, and if you aren't strategic about it, you can easily build a … [Read more...]
Keeping working dogs safe on hunts and outings
Hunting dogs encounter more risks than backyard pets, including toxins that we want everyone to avoid. Every year, hunting dogs in the U.S. die as a result of drinking from contaminated sources, ingesting harmful substances, trauma and getting lost, writes Toinette Strusinski-Broschay, DVM. Her tips for hunting dogs apply to dogs who go camping and hiking . Source: The … [Read more...]
How Amazon may shape the packaging of products you sell
Tide just announced its new Eco-Box, an alternative to the classic bottle of laundry detergent. It’s still soap. It is also a look as to how Amazon and other e-commerce retailers are dictating what stuff looks like. This new box is designed to work well with e-commerce, ship well and be more environmentally friendly. It ships without secondary boxing or bubblewrap, is lighter … [Read more...]
Antimicrobial resistance: hospitals, farms share more than you think
Antibiotic exposure is inescapable and makes antibiotic resistance a reality we can’t avoid. We share a lot of bugs and resistance genes, but we also may share a lot of solutions,” Bill Pomputius says. “Our use of antibiotics accelerates the pace at which antibiotic resistance emerges and spreads in bacteria through both evolution and selective pressure.” Source: PORK, … [Read more...]
Top 10 reasons why pets see veterinarians
The lists of top reasons pets see veterinarians don’t change much year to year, according to Healthy Paws Pet Insurance’s third annual Cost of Pet Health Care 2018 report. The report ranks the top 10 ailments for dogs and cats that triggered a vet clinic visit. With trends stable in ailment-related veterinary visits, clinics can more comprehensively plan staffing and inventory … [Read more...]
Beagle brigade sniffs out border risks (includes video)
Bringing agricultural products across the U.S. border without properly identifying them is illegal. It is one of the greatest threats to U.S. efforts to stop the spread of foreign animal diseases (FADs) from entering the U.S. Beagles are the breed of choice for the agriculture mission due to their non-threatening appearance and kind nature, as well as their high drive for … [Read more...]
Ways to use CliftonStrengths to improve your employee experiences
Employee satisfaction, advancement and retention are great challenges in the animal health business. Gallup identified seven life cycle stages during which employers can affect the employee experience the most. Applying a strengths-based* approach at each stage of the life cycle can ultimately result in an improved employee experience. It's up to managers and their leaders to … [Read more...]
Feeding weed by-products to pigs
No! the pigs don’t get high but some say the market for legal cannabis by-products may add value to pork production. What I do taste is juicier pork, and a more resistant texture – there’s no mushiness involved.” Source: PORK, November 2, 2018. Link. Feeding byproducts of the legal marijuana industry is of interest to many in the pork industry,” says Anna Dilger, associate … [Read more...]
Eye-in-the-sky hired help works for cattle producers
Drones provide potential for practical applications beef producers, according to Amanda Radke. She discusses four ways that a drone could enhance management practices on ranches. Collect more data with much less labor Aerial maps can improve land management practices Monitor livestock, fences and water sources Collect data on individual animals While drones … [Read more...]