The need for an answer usually starts with a question. In this case, it was “How does proactively educating clients about pet health insurance impact veterinary teams, pet owners and patient care?” Why that question? In 2017, I accepted a position as an executive at Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group. In the new role, […]

Bundling medical services for the treatment of specific chronic diseases is a winner for the pet, its owner and the hospital.

During times of financial uncertainty like the COVID-19 pandemic, forward-thinking veterinary hospitals offer financial incentives — wellness plans — to clients so that pets continue to receive basic care. Unfortunately, pets with chronic conditions are overlooked when such programs are designed. What can hospitals do to ease the financial burden on the owners of these […]

Clients welcome conversations about the cost of care. While they won’t always say “yes” to your recommendations, you can improve the chances by better communicating the value to the pet.

Few things create as much anxiety for veterinary teams as talking about money with clients. Studies have shown that a client’s economic limitation is the primary factor behind feelings of burnout in veterinarians working at small animal general practices. A survey I conducted at a work-life integration workshop hosted by the American College of Veterinary […]

An updated pet health insurance policy was adopted during the American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates meeting in August 2019. The policy added 16 words: “and encourages veterinary healthcare teams to proactively educate their clients about the existence of such resources.” While the policy change was reported in veterinary publications, it drew little attention […]

It’s time to do away with production-based pay and all its ills. The alternative: profit sharing and a formula for robust professional growth.

In years gone by, veterinarians consistently were ranked among the top most-trusted professionals. But public opinion is changing. Today, many consumers think veterinarians are “selling” more services to grow corporate bottom lines. As one client put it, “I felt like I was taken advantage of when I found out after the fact that my veterinarian […]

A veterinary team’s attitudes, values, goals and practices go a long way in building a great organization.

I was asked during a job interview, “As a hospital owner and practicing veterinarian, what was your most difficult daily responsibility?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Maintaining the hospital culture.” During my tenure as a hospital owner and managing DVM, I would not have always replied this way. My appreciation of the value of positive culture […]

More client visits and more spending occur when pet owners choose packaged preventive care, especially when they can make monthly payments.

Bundled wellness services are not new to veterinary medicine. A 2015 survey performed by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association found that almost 14 percent of respondents reported offering wellness plans in their hospitals for seven or more years. Why are these hospitals such advocates of wellness plans? Consider the following five reasons to implement wellness […]