Why VCA West Coast is one of the best-equipped hospitals in the nationJanuary 18, 2017When VCA All-Care Animal Referral Center needed a bigger home, it did what a lot of veterinary practices wish they could do: It supersized. The Southern California hospital moved out of cramped quarters this past fall to a former Staples store less than a mile away.
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Why vets need to raise our voicesJanuary 13, 2017It probably shouldn’t be this way, but I get a headache every time I hear the phrase “veterinarian recommended.” It happens whether the words are attached to a pet owner educational initiative or being used to sell cheap, low-brow pet gadgets made by the millions in China.
13 ways to text your veterinary clientsJanuary 9, 2017Physicians and dentists have embraced texting as a strategy to improve patient care. A study of 3,000 chronically ill patients found that 68 percent took medications at home as directed by their physicians when they received text reminders, compared to 50 percent without texts.
Why you need to resolve to do better in 2017January 5, 2017With 2016 coming to a close, it’s time for practice owners to reflect on their hospital’s performance over the past 12 months and outline ways to improve in 2017.
How can I get my vet staff to come to work after-hours events?January 2, 2017My veterinary practice participates in lots of community events throughout the year. We’re at the local dog park, at pet shows, charity events and basically anything we find where we can promote responsible pet ownership and at the same time raise awareness of our practice.
What to do about cliques in the veterinary practiceDecember 19, 2016I took on a practice management role a few months ago in a hospital with about 40 employees. The former practice manager (let’s call her Jane) is still working there, but in a different role. It was her decision to step down from the PM role and she is now the Client Relations Manager.
Veterinary Confessions: I had no idea what my employees were telling clientsDecember 13, 2016Because veterinarians go from one patient to the next, few understand the quality of service that their front-line team provides to clients.
9 ways to show thanks to your vet staff and clientsDecember 12, 2016Anytime is a great time to tell clients and employees “Thank you,” but doing it during the holidays is a particularly special moment. The words can be powerful and make a lasting impact because they leave the receiver feeling valued and appreciated.
I suspect an employee is stealing. What do I do?December 8, 2016A long-standing team member alerted me to this last week, when she noticed the amount of cash in the register didn’t reconcile with our daily report, and some over the counter items are no longer on the shelf, but we have no record of them being sold.
How to overcome resistance to change: Hold effective team meetingsDecember 1, 2016A veterinary team member writes: I work in a practice that I know has great potential; however, there are people who work there who deliberately find any reasons they can to oppose change.They don’t even try to implement the changes. We’ve held a number of meetings, but they have no agenda and there are never any outcomes. I don’t know how to approach this issue.
