Columns

Outgoing managers shouldn’t check out until their successors are familiar with the duties and understand how the hospital operates.

After more than 12 years of holding the same title at the same South Carolina veterinary hospital (and working with a handful of the same people), I have moved on to my next adventure: practice ownership in my home state of Indiana. The transition was planned 2½ years ago, and my replacement, the owner’s wife, […]

History shows that we must raise our consciousness and learn to embrace inclusion and the entire spectrum of people in the veterinary profession.

Diversity is no stranger to veterinarians. This profession is composed of people who understand biodiversity and the earth’s self-regulating system that balances the populations and habitats of all species, humans included. In their day-to-day practice, veterinary team members are likely to see all kinds of animals, from snakes to dogs, gerbils to cats, frogs to […]

You can do plenty to make life more pleasant for senior pets in your clinic and their homes.

As of late, just about everyone I know is trying to invest in one of the world’s hottest industries — ours. And for a good reason. A recent Morgan Stanley report predicts that today’s $100 billion U.S. pet industry will explode to $275 billion by 2030. Among the reasons: the incredible upswing in new pet […]

What are your clients not saying? Veterinary team members must watch for and decode a pet owner’s nonverbal communication and know how to respond.

I’m sure you’ve people-watched in an airport, restaurant or park. Even if you can’t hear their conversations, you easily form impressions of what the people might be thinking or feeling. If a couple are holding hands, you think they must be in love. If a teenager has his arms crossed and is scowling, you assume […]

The veterinary profession isn’t doing enough to keep pace with the skyrocketing number of pet owners. We need more DVM graduates, and we must make better use of technicians and technology. 

The demand for veterinary services is growing and the supply of veterinary professionals is not, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing for millions of new pet owners who benefit from a fur baby’s unconditional love. A curse in figuring out how best our profession can deal with the growing need for […]

Veterinary practices are fetching record sales prices, but what about the real estate itself? You have a few choices if you also own the property.

The veterinary profession is seeing record-setting revenues as the percentage of households owning small animals continues to grow. In addition, surging demand for quality veterinary care has pushed practice valuations to record highs. Corporate consolidators and private equity investors realize that now is an excellent time to purchase veterinary clinics and earn solid long-term returns […]

Thanks to technology and the power of artificial intelligence, more of yesterday’s referral patients can be diagnosed at today’s primary care practices.

The son of a veterinarian, I grew up in a clinic and, like many of my colleagues, knew from my earliest memory that I would become a veterinarian. My recollection of companion animal practice revolves around large shifts in the industry. I remember hearing the word “parvovirus” in the late 1970s, when I was a […]

How you handle, store and dispose of medical waste is strictly regulated, so make sure to do your homework.

Processing medical waste can be an overwhelming responsibility within a veterinary practice. Team members should be aware of and follow specific guidelines when dealing with infectious waste, biohazardous waste, and anatomical or pathological waste. Questions we often face and must know the answers to include “What constitutes hazardous waste?” and “How do we handle, store […]

All your marketing doesn’t have to come from within the four walls of your practice. Experienced, knowledgeable service providers are ready for hire.

Doing all your marketing in-house is great if you have the time, personnel and skill, but outsourcing at least part of it can improve efficiency and deliver new ideas and strategies. Here is some guidance. Q: When should I consider outsourcing my marketing work? A: I’m a firm believer that the best marketing content is […]

Veterinary telemedicine providers aren’t doing enough to protect themselves and their clients from hackers.

Are you considering implementing or expanding veterinary telemedicine? Are you concerned about the security of the information transmitted back and forth? You should be. Cybercrime is on the rise in incidence, severity and sophistication. Stories about ransomware continuously dominate headlines. Health care is increasingly at risk of cyberattacks that can cause significant losses, both operationally […]