Finance

Las Vegas-A syndicated pet columnist says more and more pet owners are complaining about veterinary fees, whereas veterinarians and management experts dismiss the argument but say it signals the importance of improved communications in practice.

“Practice owners want to put their best foot forward, which makes the hospital foyer, reception area, and waiting area the most popular for remodel projects,” says Dan Chapel, AIA, NCARB, owner of Chapel and Associates Architecture in Little Rock, Ark., and a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member. “Luckily, those areas are the easiest projects to tackle.”

Q. I've worked as an associate at an equine clinic for several years. Now I'm ready to start my own mobile practice, but I signed a noncompete agreement with the clinic I currently work for. Can I still practice in this area, or do I need to move to another location? What other legal issues do I need to consider?

As the world's largest economy faces recession and veterinarians brace for lags in client spending, cutting back on employee training might seem like a sure way to save a buck.

Ah, it is yet another New Year that brings joy to those who are preparing for the end of the current economic slowdown. (Yes, we can believe that the economy will rebound.)

I left the exam room for just a few minutes to get a shot of penicillin for her dog. By the time I got back, Mrs. Quibble was hopping mad.

Q. I've owned a small animal practice in a suburb for nearly a year, and business is fair. There's one big problem, though: No one can find my practice. It's not on a main thoroughfare or a corner lot, so we don't attract many new clients--if any--from drive-by traffic. Even my established clients complain the hospital's too far off the beaten path. Are we sunk in this location? Is there anything we can do to try and make it work?

I know I must meet Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) requirements when building my new veterinary practice, but how much will these standards affect my design plans?

If you're thinking of relocating your hospital, your current clients can "point" you in the right direction. Post an area map on corkboard in your reception area and invite clients to mark their neighborhood with a pushpin, says Dr. Sue Summers, an associate in Midwest City, Okla.

IRS takes special interest in corporate loans to shareholders

Q. I'm considering building my own clinic. What should I ask when hiring an architect? A. Hiring the right architect is one of the most important decisions you'll make during the building process, say Sal Longo Jr. and Michael Crosby, co-owners of Crosby Longo Architecture studio in New Orleans, La., and designers of the 2000 Hospital of the Year.

The expense of using a portion of your home "exclusively" for business purposes is, as everyone knows, tax deductible.

Is your practice crying out for a new look? And is your budget screaming, "No!"? Well, help is here. Our team of design experts, all members of the Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board, knows you probably can't afford a complete hospital overhaul. But you can give your practice a makeover--just take it one room at a time. These eight tips will help you get started:

If your reception area seems dull, new light fixtures can provide a low-cost solution. Although most veterinary hospital waiting areas have plenty of light, the quality is often poor.

Q. I lease space in a strip mall that imposes strict regulations on signage. For instance, my sign must sit flush against the building and not stick up above the roof, I have to use muted colors, and it must say "Veterinary Hospital" instead of my clinic name. Without a distinct building and sign, how can I make my presence known?

Most veterinarians are used to client jokes about deducting the family pet on the personal tax return.

Even if you're planning to build a new, bigger facility, you need to make the most of your space. These tips from Tony L. Cochrane, AIA, a principal with Gates Hafen Cochrane Architects PC in Boulder, Colo., can help:

It is time to go to work. You have been in school for nearly eight years and within a few months you will receive your veterinary degree and become a licensed veterinarian. Naturally you are eager to find a job. After all, you have devoted most of your time and effort toward reaching this goal.

Q. After 23 years in the same location, my veterinary practice is landlocked. Parking space is almost nonexistent, and traffic is so heavy clients sometimes struggle to even enter the lot. My wife suggested we move into an area where housing is booming. But our practice is still growing where we are, and I don't want to move too far from this location. In a city with 80,000 people and nine other clinics, how far can I move without losing my client base?

Q. We're packed into our hospital like sardines in a can, but we can't afford to rebuild or completely renovate. How can I find more space without undergoing major construction?

Q. I lease space for my hospital but want to purchase some land and build a facility when my lease expires in three years. My Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contains enough money to cover the down payment on the land. Is this a wise use of my IRA funds?

Do veterinarians and staff members constantly trip over each other's feet at your practice? Or maybe you round corners with caution to avoid taking out unsuspecting clients. Even remodeling or expanding your facility may not fix the problem if you don't develop an efficient floor plan.

You're finally ready to build your dream hospital or expand your existing facility. For years, you've read design articles in Veterinary Economics and carefully studied every floor plan. You've also planned to hire an award-winning veterinary architect. But one of your clients is an architect, and you like her work.

If you come to work every day, park in back, and hurry in the staff entrance, you may be missing out on the little things that detract from clients' impressions of your facility. To identify areas where your practice falls short, look at your hospital the way pet owners do. Here's a guide:

Q. I want to move my veterinary practice from a strip-mall leasehold to an adjacent property that the mall owner recently bought to expand the shopping center. I can either rent a larger leasehold in the new shopping center or lease part of the land. Is it wise for me to lease the land while owning the freestanding building on it?

Q. When designing my practice, should I create separate entrances for grooming, boarding, and retail areas or have all clients enter through the main door?

When one McDonald's restaurant faced a space dilemma, the owner tore down a wall--and made the building smaller. This may seem like the wrong approach, but the squeeze forced employees to examine traffic flow and suggest improvements. With less space to work, the owner knew everyone would become more efficient.

At age 10, my friends and I thought we'd be driving flying cars by 2000. We never envisioned laptop computers, the Internet, or virtual reality. Now the flying car seems absurd, and computers are commonplace. There's a lesson here: When predicting the future, practicality always wins.

Q. I plan to build a new hospital, but I worry about devoting adequate time to the project without neglecting my practice. Does a building project affect revenue, and how can I best handle this time commitment?

Q. I plan to build a new hospital, but I worry about devoting adequate time to the project without neglecting my practice. Does a building project affect revenue, and how can I best handle this time commitment?