Roles

There's never enough time in your day—so make every moment in the exam room count. And remember, even small improvements in exam-room procedures can dramatically improve your whole team's efficiency.

Every member of your practice team can help increase security.

How do I know how much I need to save for retirement?

The doctor doesn't recognize or appreciate me. How can I let her know everything I do?

I'm the first person in the office every morning, and the evening staff always leaves messes for me to clean up. How can I encourage them to pull their weight?

Are you ready for a career move? Here's what to think about.

It only takes a little extra effort to make pet owners feel special. The benefit: happy, loyal clients who appreciate your care.

You can enhance your professional career every time you step up to the lectern—provided you've mastered the all-important basics of public speaking.

Find out what parting staff members really think about your practice-and use that information to make it a great place to work.

In July, the AVMA held a diversity symposium to address ongoing racial and gender issues impacting the veterinary profession.

Dr. X is running behind–again. But you don't want to interrupt him in front of the client. Here's an easy solution: Get him a pager. Shelly Hiemer, CVT, a technician at AMVET in Otsego, Minn., says her doctor chose to carry one so staff members could notify him when problems arise without interrupting. Then they developed a message system to indicate the degree of emergency. For example, if the team pages the doctor with number 33, he has 10 minutes to wrap up and get to the next client. Number 66 means he only has five minutes, and 99 means it's an emergency.

Are you ready for a career move? Here's what to think about.

There aren't enough hours in the day to finish all of my duties. What should I do?

How do I convince the doctor that we're understaffed?

Use these timesaving tips to stay on schedule and keep your entire team afloat when disruptions threaten to throw your day dangerously off course.

Favoritism, morale problems, unbearable associates–sometimes the doctor just doesn't see the issue. Use these strategies to clean off the doctor's rose-colored glasses, without making him or her mad.

We never have staff meetings, and no one ever knows what's going on in the practice. How can we encourage staff meetings?

A new federal rule requires you to properly dispose of sensitive information derived from credit reports. Effective June 1, The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act disposal rule says you must burn, shred, pulverize, erase, or otherwise destroy electronic and hard-copy files you've obtained from a consumer-reporting company for employment reasons.

I've met a lot of great doctors. And I like them. As a group, I think veterinarians are among the nicest people on the planet. And, just like you, they have a special calling to help pets that sets them apart from other professionals. But that doesn't mean every doctor is a joy to work for or with. And I know they're not always that open to doing things differently.

My co-workers don't take responsibility for their duties, and I often end up picking up the slack. What can I do?

Prescribing the medicine is easier than taking it, but if you want to uphold your standard of care, you need to ditch your excuses.

Getting to know Sheila Lewis, CVT

Don't let that next phone call be the client who got away. Use these tips from Sally Hickey, a receptionist at Short Pump Animal Hospital in Richmond, Va.

Between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. chaos ruled in the front office at Catawba Animal Clinic in Rock Hill, S.C., says Hospital Administrator Jean Weaver. "All our dental appointments, surgery appointments, daycares, and routine morning appointments were coming in around the same time," she says. "Our receptionists were overwhelmed trying to check in the appointments in a timely manner, especially with clients rushing to get to work."

It's hard to find the right words when you're broaching a topic that could spark tempers. Here's help to head off eruptions with co-workers, clients, or the boss.

The Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005, introduced in the Senate (S. 1139) and House of Representatives (H.R. 2669), is designed to strengthen the regulation of the pet industry.

Starting in October, it'll be harder for people to file for personal bankruptcy under Chapter 7, says Veterinary Economics Personal Finance Editor Fritz Wood, CPA, CFP. Under Chapter 7, debtors can wipe away unsecured debts such as credit card bills after certain assets are liquidated.

Gary Morgan, a receptionist for Robert E. Lewis, a dentist in Overland Park, Kan., has a special talent: He remembers the name of most of the clients who walk through the door. And with more than 1,500 client records in the practice database, that's no small feat.

How do you know whether a newly hired team member is right for his or her job and, equally important, right for your practice? Many practice owners evaluate a new hire's job performance during a probationary period, which can last from 30 to 90 days.

End-of-the-day surgery releases can bring chaos and confusion to even the most organized veterinary teams. That's why team members at Rock Road Animal Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., developed a system to route clients through the checkout process before they're reunited with their pets.