How to make better vet client callsOctober 19, 2016Imagine your dog was just diagnosed with cancer. The news has numbed you. On your drive home, you rehearse how you’ll break the news to your children, and you prepare for tears and tough questions.
SPONSORED CONTENTOne dose protects for 12 months.One ProHeart® 12 (moxidectin) injection puts compliance in your control. + Get started
Why don't more veterinary practice owners and managers use business consultants?October 18, 2016Earlier this year, I hypothesized that the business model employed by the vast majority of veterinary business consultants is no longer working for practice owners.
My employee cries every time I give her feedbackOctober 13, 2016One of the vet techs in my practice, let’s call her “Jessica,” is in her early 20s. Every time I give her negative feedback, she starts crying. In fact, as soon as I ask to speak to her, she looks absolutely terrified and by the time we reach the office, her face has turned bright red and her chin is quivering. A few minutes into the conversation, tears are streaming down her face.
Are you letting clients down after their pets die?October 12, 2016Are we letting our clients down in the end? I mean that literally. Are we failing the pets we’ve cared for throughout their lives during and after their last moments?
What does respect for clients look like in the vet practice?October 10, 2016“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
What to do when the vet keeps disrupting team meetingsOctober 5, 2016We try to hold weekly team meetings at our veterinary practice. They don’t always go ahead because some days just get really busy, but we’re pretty good at having them on a regular basis.
What to do when your vet practice is short-staffedSeptember 29, 2016We have been really short-staffed at the hospital over the past few weeks. We had some staff turnover, sickness, going back to school, etc. We just haven’t been able to fill all the shifts for the past five weeks or so. Of course, we are recruiting but it takes time.
What you should know about emotional support animalsSeptember 27, 2016After qualifying to travel with an emotional support animal, a 45-year-old woman telephoned Joanne Williams, LCSW, of Next Generation Psychology, which performs emotional support animal evaluations, saying, “You’ve changed my life. Who knew that my cat could enable me to have a new life?”
Why good communication is key to good veterinary practiceSeptember 27, 2016Good communication underpins every aspect of good veterinary practice. It can increase after-care compliance, enhance pet owner satisfaction and most importantly better pet health outcomes. Yet investigations into unprofessional conduct in the veterinary profession are often the result of communication breakdown.
Should I allow cell phones in the vet clinic?September 22, 2016I have a problem with staff using their personal cell phones during their shift. For years, we have had a written policy stating that staff are not to use their cell phones while at work. They are to keep them in their lockers, turned off or on silent and can only use them on their breaks.
