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Too many dogs and cats don’t receive needed relief. Hospital staff should use the power of observation and diagnostics to do what is best for the patient and to build client trust.

I wish the following statements were purely historical, but as shared by Dr. Michael Petty during a discussion of the business of pain management, they are being spoken in veterinary clinics today by some of our colleagues. “Pets don’t feel pain like we do.” “It will help my patients’ recovery if they feel some pain […]

Focusing on the delivery of information rather than the content can impair efforts to have substantive discussions about diversity and inclusion.

Have you ever found yourself in an argument with someone and as the argument progresses you become more animated? Your voice might rise. You might talk a bit with your hands. It is clear you are passionate about your position and really want your companion to understand your point. At a critical point in the […]

The profession and industry need to support our underfunded state veterinary medical boards before they are pushed aside by politicians.

This article might surprise readers, but it needs to be written and we don’t have much time to act. A quiet crisis that’s not obvious to practitioners and industry is building within the world of state regulation of veterinary medicine. I observe it only because my Animal Policy Group works with state veterinary medical boards […]

Relief veterinarians must account for a lot of expenses when setting their fees. Remember, they’re business-to-business service providers.

Let’s start with a Jerry Seinfeld money joke. He’s famous enough that his voice and cadence are so ingrained in our brains that most of you will have no problem “hearing” the joke as you read it. Here it is: “Dogs have no money. Isn’t that amazing? They’re broke their entire lives. But they get […]

Employee benefits liability insurance shields a practice when program administrators mishandle a situation.

Attracting and retaining high-quality employees is a challenge for many veterinary practices in today’s competitive, mobile environment. Practice owners and managers continually ask me whether I know any qualified veterinarians or veterinary nurses who are looking for work. To recruit and keep quality employees, veterinary practices offer an ever-increasing variety of ancillary benefits as part […]

Five to seven years out is the time to begin prepping your practice for a transition and thinking about what you will do in the next chapter of your life.

The decision to sell a veterinary practice is loaded with financial considerations, but don’t gloss over the need to clearly understand what you want to achieve. Are you tired? Frustrated? Burned out? At retirement age? Overloaded with management duties? Do you want to maximize the sale price or transfer the practice to an associate veterinarian […]

Harnessing a select group of clients can help you meet the needs of the next generation and not alienate long-time pet owners.

I received two emails less than 24 hours apart from two very different veterinary clients. One raved about how excited she was about the new program her veterinarian had implemented that would give her 5% off the invoice at each visit. She had gotten a new puppy, the costs were adding up and the discount […]

Automatic contract renewals can leave you in a costly predicament if you fail to give proper notice of termination.

Veterinarians will enter into dozens of contractual relationships throughout their professional careers. They can reasonably expect to sign employment agreements, purchase orders, client payment and IT service contracts, property and equipment leases, real estate deals, and so on. The paperwork can vary in sophistication and complexity, ranging from a straightforward one-page document to a highly […]

Shared decision-making between the veterinary team and pet owner promotes better patient outcomes.

I’ve noticed a trend in exam room communications that can lead to fewer clients complying with treatment recommendations. The problem is that pet owners are often given a list of treatment options without enough education and guidance from the veterinary team. When this happens, confusion sets in and pet owners defer or decline recommendations. The […]

Chemotherapy drugs and other hazardous medications require special handling and containment to protect hospital staff and patients from dangerous exposure. C-PEC? PPE? USP 800? You have a lot to learn.

Readers might recall Ronak Kadakia’s excellent article “Are You Ready for USP 800?” in the June/July 2019 issue of Today’s Veterinary Business. As of Dec. 1, 2019, the USP <800> standard for the safe handling of hazardous drugs applies to veterinary practices and other health care facilities. My firm has been busy working with veterinary […]