Practice Management

As you may know, we launched a new magazine especially for team members last fall-Firstline. (Hopefully you've seen it around the practice. I'd be even happier if you saw it in your team members' hands.)

Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Southfield, Mich., is a large specialty practice with a 24-hour facility. Technicians work different shifts and are constantly passing on important information about patients. "To improve communication between shifts, we made cage tags that highlight patients' special needs," says Kathy Estrada, LVT, the practice's technical services manager.

"When deciding on a maternity leave policy, you need to consider the legal requirements as well as the total benefits package you want to offer," says Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, CVPM, a consultant at Brakke Consulting Inc. in Dallas.

The goal: As Bob Townsend, former CEO of Avis Rent A Car System LLC, has said, "Create the kind of environment that pays people to bring their brains to work." The more you identify and address employees' job-related needs, the more likely they'll engage in what psychologists call "motivated behavior."

Backup equipment need not just sit on the shelf waiting to step in when things break down.

When you decide to invest in the stock market, keep in mind something that professional analysts must remember: Investing always requires weighing potential risk against potential award.

Should the doctor know the prices for procedures and services?

I suspect our sick-leave policy encourages employees to take time off when they're not really ill. Is there any way to prevent this?

Are your waste bins full of paper, cans, plastic, cardboard, and other recyclables? Use these quick tips to launch a recycling program in your practice.

"To increase efficiency at our front desk, we maintain a very organized file-placement system, with bins for every possible function," says Sabrina Lewis, veterinary nurse at Central Broward Animal Hospital in Plantation, Fla.

Nothing messes up a day like a steady string of interruptions.

Lynn Kessel, practice manager at Round Rock Animal Hospital in Round Rock, Texas, firmly believes that every hospital manager needs someone to vent to, share ideas with, or solve problems with. "The doctors are busy, and it may not be appropriate for a manager to share certain issues with employees," she says.

Changes in horse owners' expectations clear a path for better working conditions?and may let you dedicate more time to your patients.

There's more to a good site than the right location. Here's a look at the other factors you need to consider.

Veterinarians are paid by leftovers; that is any money left over after all other obligations have been satisfied.

It's hard for team members to implement changes if the doctors aren't on the same page. Solve this problem with a new approach to team training.

Use these guidelines to decide when to send documents to the shredder.

Some clients view an office visit as an opportunity to catch up on an assortment of neglected pet health problems. Use these techniques to stay on topic and on schedule.

There are tax advantages when you buy a hybrid automobile: a tax credit of up to $3,400, for instance.

Profanity in the workplace is on the rise along with court filings and complaints to EEOC.

You may like the sound of doing it all, but that's not usually the most efficient way to work. So change your tune and leverage your team members more to increase your sanity?and the practice's profitability.

How many warnings should I give, and when should I fire someone?

We're taking our practices to the next level by introducing quality control protocols. Better control means better results, which gives us the foundation we need to be more than just a good hospital; we want to be great.

What are the legal issues in hiring my 13-year-old daughter to work after school?

A form to help you determine the costs of employment, such as health insurance, continuing education, dues, license, retirement programs, and payroll taxes.

Just ask a client which part of the anesthetic monitoring or pain relieving medications you should leave out to save them money at the expense of their pet's health.

Physicians once said nurses would dilute their earning power and endanger patient safety.

Encinitas, Calif. — Communication with staff is the key to a hospital's success, Dr. Michele Drake says.

Like it or not, lay people can learn to competently perform many routine tasks.

Only about 80 percent of time slots will be accomplished despite the best plans, but it's better than 20 percent without a plan.