Elizabeth Trotta

You'd much rather be working with clients and pets than thumb-twiddling or standing around dreaming about services you could be rendering. So use these tips to cut back on no-shows and get back to business.

A pre-existing gem, new-to-you building can be an architectural gem. Here's a look at how two practices preserved the charm of historic homes -- and met the growing needs of their businesses.

Closets, cabinets, cubbies-build in the space you need to keep everything from anesthesia drugs to suture material organized and close at hand.

Achieving life balance isn't easy. Changing your approach requires trust and commitment.

If you could see into the future of each kitten and puppy, you'd know exactly how to protect them from the health issues they'll face over the next 10-or even 20-years. And that's the true benefit of senior wellness screenings: They offer a small window into a pet's health and help you identify and treat disease early.

"Bad things happen. Animals die. Surgeries don't go as planned," says Bonnie Lutz, JD, an associate with Klinedinst Attorneys at Law in Orange County, Calif. "But that's not why veterinarians get sued."

You don't have to redo your entire exam room to change the look and feel. Really, you don't. One of these 10 changes, each starting under $500, might just do the trick.

The late client, sister to the no-show, can topple your schedule and turn your practice into a three-ring circus. Use these four strategies to manage past-due arrivals.

Use these tips to forge the best relationship and foster the best work environment you can during a tough but exciting time in your life.

Your scheduling software gives you four more defenses against no-shows.

19 tips to cut back on no-shows and get back to business.

Take these five earth-friendly steps to minimize building costs, energy usage, and toxic materials in your facility.

Here are five more earth-friendly steps to make your dream practice a green one.

Do you have an exam room that compromises your dignity? Do clients gawk and children giggle when they step into Room Three? You can remodel this terror of a room without creating chaos. Just ask the team at Great Neck Veterinary Clinic, Virginia Beach, Va., winner of the 2005 Veterinary Economics Ugly Exam Room Contest, sponsored by Veterinary Economics, BDA Architecture, Shor-Line Cabinet Co., and InPro Corp. Great Neck Veterinary Clinic realized it had a problem—and fixed it.

Our contest winner transformed an exam room. And you can do it, too.

The key goals: A modern design that reflects the state-of-the-art specialty care the team provides. A good experience for visiting clients. And a facility that's comfortable for team members—and makes them proud.