Practice Management

Studies show morale and turnover improve when team members feel appreciated.

Imagine you receive a call about a horse experiencing a severe case of colic. You stabilize the horse and perform a physical examination, after which the horse exhibits signs of colic again.

Reminder cards are veterinarians' strongest tool to build repeat business and help their clients keep up-to-date on their pets' care.

I've played hockey for many years, often once or twice a week. One day it dawned on me I wasn't improving. Instead I was doing the same wrong things over and over--I was playing but not practicing. Finally, I took a skills class and was amazed at how much I didn't know.

At our practice, we have an inventory team that handles ordering and tracking of drugs, lab supplies, food, and so on. But we still struggle with inventory accuracy. Would establishing an incentive program for the inventory team help?

Don't know where to start? Here's what you need to know to communicate effectively with your insurance agent:

Coddling is a new buzzing issue in human resource management and with good reason.

Practice consultants work hard for their clients and are well aware of the investment a practice makes for their services. To do the best possible job for you, they need you to be prepared, complete documents as requested, and dedicate the necessary time to the improvement effort.

Is it better to schedule performance reviews during regular office hours or after hours, when I know we won't be interrupted?

Effective delegation is undoubtedly the strongest productivity-improvement tool available. But here's a harsh reality check: Only 47 percent of staff members responding to a VetMedTeam survey indicated that their doctors delegate 80 percent to 100 percent of possible tasks.

If you are upset or angry about something, you need to confront the situation. Avoidance of co-workers and strained relationships can result in further problems. However, this doesn't mean you have to confront immediately if you are too angry to be constructive right that minute.

Exit interviews are your best tool for learning why employees leave and how you might encourage them to stay. Use this form to gather this precious feedback from departing team members. (PDF)

This sample phone script shows the kind of professional, accurate answers you can develop for team members to use in all their interactions with clients. (PDF)

When you conduct regular performance reviews, you build better understanding with your employees, clarify your mutual goals, and give employees feedback about where they excel and could improve. Use this form to get started. (PDF)

I'm a solo practitioner with only three employees. Are exit interviews really necessary?

If a management vacuum occurs in the practice, then someone will fill it.

Make Yourself More Valuable/Practice Management

Think your practice could benefit from some expert help? A consultant may be the way to go. But it's not enough to just hire help. You must know what you want to accomplish, pick the best-qualified consultant to help, and act on his or her advice.

Many practices are set up as S corporations for tax reporting purposes, enabling owners to receive dividend payments that aren't subject to Social Security tax. Doctors usually receive these payments when the practice pays for veterinary services and management.

"Happiness is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it."

Remember, most clients won't appreciate the seriousness of periodontal isease until they see it.

News travels fast in my clinic. How can I keep information private until I'm ready to disclose it to my staff?

Our long-time office manager isn't keeping up with our growing practice. She did an excellent job for almost 10 years, but during the past few years, she's lost the practice money because she can't manage the increased patient and billing load. How should my partners and I approach her? How much severance should we offer her?

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One trick I learned was to construct my invoices so I did not draw attention to my hourly rate.

Rather than just treat existing oral disease, promote the importance of preventive dentistry to clients when their pets are young.

My team finally convinced me that it's time to repaint. I like white, but am I just boring?

The best way to educate clients is by combining dialogue with visual aids.