VPN Plus+ ExclusiveHiring challenges? Don't forget new gradsJanuary 20, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWe used to ask ourselves, “Do we really need more team members or do we need to make our existing team members work more efficiently?” At this point, most of us no longer need to interrogate our team’s efficiency; we’ve officially crossed that line into the realm of, “Absolutely no question. I need warm bodies.” When so many of our team members have been out sick with Omicron, the flu, etc., the crunch has never felt more desperate.
SPONSORED CONTENTThe Case for Year-Round Heartworm Prevention and Affordable OptionsVeterinarians are often more than just clinicians - they’re advisors, educators, and, increasingly, financial counselors. In today’s economy, pet owners may hesitate to invest in year-round prevention due to budget constraints; but, skipping even a few months of heartworm protection can have serious consequences. + Learn More
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveCompassion without the fatigueSeptember 23, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBANever before, it seems, have we been forced to contend with such problematic client conduct.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveNutrition: Why treading lightly is often the best approachAugust 12, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBANutrition has evolved into the one area I’ve learned to tread lightly. It’s the third rail of all exam room topics of conversation, second only to politics and religion for the fervor it inspires — especially should you accidentally trip on a stray word in the minefield of unmentionable ingredients or excesses.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveFrom antioxidants to vitamins, many supplements lack official testingJuly 22, 2021By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMASkipping steps in the scientific process wastes time and resources, and it ultimately hurts patients. Those who may choose an insufficiently tested supplement over a proven therapy because they believe it to be safer or more effective based on low-quality evidence can be harmed by the supplement or by delaying truly effective treatment
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveJust how family-friendly is our profession?July 8, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBABuilding your entire culture around what’s best for families is how I’ve learned I can attract and retain employees. Because, while others might pay more, no one else offers the family-centric culture we’ve cultivated by offering some crucial benefits.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBehavior in motion and what it means for the professionJune 11, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBASetting our sights on how animals outwardly behave is a fundamental concession to the fact we keep pets for our pleasure, as well as for our own emotional needs. However, that does not mean veterinarians should disregard emotion, as we have done.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveAdventures in post-millennial veterinary record-keepingMay 21, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAAs a profession, are we paying enough attention to how we keep our books? There are lessons we can all learn from critically evaluating our record-keeping systems.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTech Talk: Veterinary technician credentialing – a call for real changeApril 22, 2021By Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (nutrition)NAVTA president Ed Carlson believes a major contributing factor for technician dissatisfaction is related to the inconsistency in credentialing requirements, which may be a root cause of the shortage the profession is experiencing today.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveHow to build or buy a vet practice even when you don't want to be a practice ownerApril 15, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAFinancially savvy new grads often share homes, apartments, and even cars. Why not band together to build or buy a practice? This arrangement isn’t as common as it once was, and yet it’s more necessary than ever. This model can work for veterinarians in different stages of their careers, as well.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveStem cell therapies – leaping before looking?March 31, 2021By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMAAs often happens, preliminary research in laboratory animals and in human medicine led to relatively rapid commercialization and clinical use of stem cell treatments in veterinary medicine well before robust clinical trial evidence in companion animals with natural disease had been developed. Fortunately, as better evidence has been slowly accumulated, it is looking more and more like we may have “guessed right” in this case: the risks to our patients are minimal (though not negligible) and there may well be meaningful benefits.
