Career Development

Q: A new mobile, free-or-almost-free nonprofit on wheels opens up shop once a week in my working-middle-class-to-upper-class neighborhood. As a practice owner, what can I do to deal with this situation and avoid losing business?

Whole team involvement leads to smarter financial decisions.

Here's a hint: It's not the economy, clients' desire for good care, or your level of competition.Depending on what you read, we are either in need of more veterinary schools or dealing with an overcapacity of veterinarians. We're either seeing an increase in pet ownership or a decline in pet ownership, serving a greater number of clients or fewer clients than ever. The failings of our profession are likely to be caused by any or all of these issues; it just depends on the color of your glasses.

Financial success at a veterinary hospital can pay off when it comes to salaries.

Cross-training is one way to beat boredom and more successfully cover lengthy absences in veterinary hospitals.

Do you know what your doctors recommend? Are clients confused? Heres how I guarantee everyone is on the same page.

You left your job to open your own clinic, and now your former employer wants to sue. Don't panic yet-it's time to look at the facts.I recently received the following request from a veterinarian: "I'm planning on leaving my associate position with a large veterinary corporation to open my own clinic. I'd like you to review my employment contract to make sure that I can't be sued."

Dentists and DVMs are tied together by their independent spirit and a willingness to fight for better patient healthcare. Can you learn something from dentists about creating a friendlier, less painful patient experience?

Ready to purchase an ultrasound unit of your own? Check out our comparison guide to help your search.

Gathering input from all members of the team created a cohesive new design for their new building.

In the last year, I've spent a considerable amount of time in doctor visits with my aging mom. We saw the oncologist and oncology surgeon for colon cancer, the orthopedic surgeon for her fractured pelvis, arthritic shoulder and hands, the list goes on. Thankfully, Mom is doing better, the fractured pelvis healed and no other surgeries planned yet. But I spent time in these visits paying special attention to the care she received, and I learned some things along the way.

A weekly newsletter took the place of team meetings and got people talking at this veterinary practice.I work in a small animal practice with two full-time veterinarians on staff and 10 other team members. In the past few years, we've had a lot of turnover, with long-time employees changing careers or moving away. I realized during that time, and with the hiring of new team members, that we had gotten complacent and our communication skills were lacking. No one knew what had or hadn't been done in the practice.

Why one DVM's style didn't fit-and what we did about it.This was written by one of 10 finalists for the Veterinary Economics Practice Manager of the Year award, sponsored by VPI. For more from each finalist and a slideshow of the nominees, visit dvm306.com/PMOY.

For today's veterinarians and team members, time is limited. Use these efficiency-boosting changes to steal back some of those precious minutes lost and keep your focus on pet care.

No matter what the endeavor, don't be afraid to listen to your gut and take a leap of faith to achieve veterinary business success.

Partnership launches two new veterinary programs to help provide care for patients' pets and hospital therapy dogs.

Florida veterinarian's determination pays off after sacrificing for a better life for her son and a career in veterinary medicine.

These hand-raisers, head-bobbers and other annoying specimens are impossible to miss at veterinary CE conferences.

There are bound to be shades of gray in difficult decisions, but is euthanasia too often the end result?

Q: Our doctors are all over the place with their parasite preventive recommendations. How do we fix it?

Matt Meeker, co-founder of the house call veterinary service BarkCare, advises other entrepreneurs to center their energies on serving clients and their needs-the specifics will come later. Listen as he explains this process.

Discover the hole in your management style that undermines team morale, productivity and loyalty.

After his employees made unsavory remarks about a neighboring veterinarian on his clinic's Facebook page, this practice owner faced accusations of unprofessional conduct.

Interruptions kill productivity, making your brain work harder to cope. Try these 12 steps to increase your focus and enhance patient care at your veterinary clinic.

Tuna fish, peanut butter, pregnancy symptoms, a gas-induced elbow fracture-sounds like the makings of one wild commercial.

Tried and true advice from the frontlines.

Dr. Jeff Rothstein, MBA, explains how coasting can hurt not only you, but your veterinary practice and team as well.