AVMA Economic Meeting Set for Oct. 28August 19, 2014 Registration is underway for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s second annual Economic Summit, which will explore topics such as what veterinarians are earning and why more practices are consolidating. The all-day meeting will take place Oct. 28 at the Westin O’Hare in suburban Chicago. Among the speakers will be Michael Dicks, MS, Ph.D., the AVMA’s director of veterinary economics; Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, the chief medical officer at Banfield Pet Hospital; and Lisa Greenhill, the associate executive director for institutional research and diversity at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. Veterinary compensation, veterinarian supply and demand, the prices charged for veterinary services, and how veterinary markets influence everyday business decisions will be discussed. The registration cost is $199 until Oct. 6 and $249 afterward. More information is available at AVMA.org/Events/Symposiums.
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British Vets Forced to Compete With ‘Dr. Google’August 18, 2014 British practitioners are fed up with the world’s most popular veterinarian, who they accuse of encouraging clients to self-diagnose and treat their pets at home, sometimes to the detriment of the animal. The veterinarian, known only as “Dr. Google,” has influenced the vast majority of pet owners, according to the British Veterinary Association. The veterinary organization reported Sunday that 98 percent of practitioners surveyed stated that their clients’ behavior was swayed by what the pet owners found online. Furthermore, nearly 40 percent of veterinarians said the owners’ online research was unhelpful. “It worries me to hear that so many people are relying on guesswork or unverified Internet sources for health advice for their pets,” said BVA President Robin Hargreaves, MRCVS. “While there is some useful information about pet behavior and health available online, particularly from the established animal charities, the best source of information for animal health concerns will always be your vet, who knows your pet.” Across the Atlantic, Dr. Google has been blamed for lackluster interest in regular veterinary checkups. A 2014 survey conducted by the coalition Partners for Healthy Pets found that 48 percent of U.S. pet owners first turned to the …
VPI Wellness Plans Win AAHA’s EndorsementAugust 14, 2014 Veterinary Pet Insurance Co.’s pet wellness plans have earned the approval of the American Animal Hospital Association, which named the company a Preferred Business Provider. Brea, Calif.-based VPI joins MWI Veterinary Supply, Wells Fargo and CareCredit as Preferred Business Providers under a program that offers special pricing or other services for AAHA members. VPI’s pet wellness plans, known as Everyday Care, can cover examinations, tests, vaccinations, sterilization and dental cleanings, depending on the level of care purchased by a cat or dog owner. Wellness exams help meet the goals of the AAHA/AVMA Preventive Healthcare Guidelines. “We believe the [VPI] program is consistent with our core mission of improving pet health and increasing patient visits by providing pet owners with cost-effective ways to manage ongoing pet health care costs,” said AAHA’s CEO, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. “AAHA reviewed the VPI program, and we believe it offers veterinarians and pet owners a wellness program option that eliminates many of the challenges of practice-administered wellness plans,” Dr. Cavanaugh added.
10 Steps To OSHA ComplianceAugust 14, 2014 Do you have OSHA labels on every secondary container or spray bottle? If not, each violation could cost you. Do all staff members wear appropriate protection equipment against radiation and chemicals? If not, each violation could cost you. Do you eat or drink in the treatment area or the laboratory? If so, each violation could cost you. The average fine levied by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is around $1,000. Phil Zeltzman Cold sterile trays are more strictly regulated than you might think. OSHA compliance is not an option. It should not be an item on your never-ending to-do list. It’s the law. Few clinics are fully OSHA compliant, and arguably fewer are aware of the new Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals — also known as the GHS protocols. GHS is a modification of the 1994 Hazard Communication Standard, to make it more understandable and uniformly recognized nationally. Karen Andrews, an office manager, technician and OSHA consultant in Michigan, shares 10 easy and affordable ways to become OSHA compliant. 1) Labels The GHS enhancement regarding hazardous chemicals in the workplace …
Idexx Moving to Direct Sales Across U.S.August 6, 2014 Idexx Laboratories Inc., a manufacturer of diagnostic and information technology-based products and services, will drop its U.S. distributor partners and sell directly to all customers beginning Jan. 1, 2015. The change will affect companies such as MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. The Boise, Idaho, distributor disclosed July 31 in its third-quarter financial report that the Idexx account is responsible for about 3.4 percent of MWI’s multibillion-dollar annual revenue. MWI President and CEO Jim Cleary tried to allay any fears, saying the company is “strategically well-positioned with competitive diagnostic products, which we have marketed and sold since January 2013.” MWI previously announced the layoff of 5 percent of its U.S. workforce and the shuttering of warehouses in Mauston, Wis., and Phoenix. Jonathan Ayers, Idexx’s chairman and CEO, called the direct sales of U.S. Companion Animal Group diagnostics “a natural evolution of our business model.” “Under this approach, we intend to take orders, ship product, invoice and receive payment, and recognize revenue for all rapid assay test kits and instrument consumables in the U.S., aligning with our direct model for instruments, reference lab services and other [Companion Animal Group] products and services,” Ayers said. Idexx …
N.Y. Clinic Gets Facelift Courtesy of NovartisJuly 22, 2014 Cats visiting Village Vet of Lewiston can rest easy now and forget about the dogs traipsing through the waiting room. The western New York hospital has opened two feline-only examination rooms after winning Novartis Animal Health’s Onsior Clinic Makeover contest. The $20,000 in upgrades also includes the purchase of spay and neuter equipment used in partnership with Community Cats Alive, a group that operates a sterilization and vaccination program for feral cats. Some 964 clinics entered the contest sponsored by Novartis’ Onsior brand. Onsior (robenacoxib) tablets are indicated for the control of postoperative pain and inflammation in cats. “Creating a feline-friendly clinic goes beyond the functional clinic elements and includes feline-friendly products, practices and protocols,” said Juan Angel, associate brand manager with Novartis Animal Health US Inc. of Greensboro, N.C. Village Vet, operated by sole practitioner Kristen Ruest, DVM, also received new roll-up window blinds and two fish aquariums—one in the waiting room and another cut into an exam room and hallway. The feline-only rooms feature wall décor, climbing trees and examination baskets, which cats are placed in to help steady their nerves. BDA Architecture, an Albuquerque, N.M., firm that specializes in veterinary …
Early-Bird Registration Open for VHMA ConferenceJuly 18, 2014 The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association is offering a $100 discount to anyone who registers for its 2014 Annual Meeting and Conference by Aug. 1. Up to 16½ continuing education hours will be available at the convention, which is scheduled for Sept. 17 to 20 in St. Louis. Among the scheduled speakers are practice consultants Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, and Shelley Johnson, CVPM, and corporate trainer and author Laura Goodrich. The theme of the annual meeting is “Precise, Performing, Professional.” Learning tracks include sessions titled “Team Synergy,” “Leading From Potential to Performance” and “Staffing the Emergency Practice.” Registration for the full conference after Aug. 1 will cost $595 for members and $790 for nonmembers. More information is available at www.vhma.org. Based in Alchula, Fla., the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association counts practice managers, veterinarians, hospital administrators, office managers and consultants among its members. The organization also offers Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) certification.
Veterinary Chain to Get New Majority OwnerJuly 18, 2014 National Veterinary Associates, the owner of 244 hospitals in 39 states, is being sold to a private equity fund for an undisclosed price. Summit Partners, a Boston-based investment company, will transfer its holdings in National Veterinary Associates to Ares Management of Los Angeles. The chain’s senior managers will retain a minority stake, Ares reported Thursday. National Veterinary Associates, which was founded in 1996 by Stanley R. Creighton, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, bills itself as the largest private owner of independent freestanding veterinary hospitals in the United States. The hospitals enjoy considerable freedom in how they operate and keep their original names, such as Countryside Pet Clinic in Andover, Kan., and Martin Downs Animal Hospital in Palm City, Fla. “As part of its mission, [National Veterinary Associates] provides the tools and resources for its veterinarians to deliver high-quality care and client services that cater to the needs of its hospitals’ local communities,” Ares reported. When he began acquiring independent hospitals, Dr. Creighton believed that “veterinary medicine is best practiced when veterinarians craft their own hospital and community-specific strategies,” National Veterinary Associates states on its website. The chain is headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif. Bennett Rosenthal, …
10 Tips to Improve Your Staff's Communication SkillsJune 9, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews When phone shoppers or existing clients call your veterinary hospital, your goal is schedule every exam or surgery. Did you know 53 percent of receptionists fail to convert calls into booked exams? Find out how to confidently ask for the appointment every phone call in this video. When you communicate with confidence, more clients will accept the care that their pets need. Here are excerpts from my new book, “101 Communication Skills for Veterinary Teams: Speak with confidence over the phone and in exam room conversations.” Share these scripts with your team so you can be effective communicators. 1) Deliver A Welcoming Phone Greeting Let callers hear the smile in your voice and eagerness to help. Slow down and enunciate your words rather than sounding like you’ve just finished a triple espresso. Answer the phone promptly — first ring is best. Never go beyond three rings. The longer your phone rings, the less important your caller feels. An effective phone greeting includes a salutation, business name, employee’s name, and an invitation for service. Say, “Thank you for calling [your veterinary clinic]. This is [your name]. How may I help …
Why A Bunny Eating Raspberries and Other Animal Videos Are So Popular With Your ClientsMay 27, 2014 My daughter was the first one to show me the adorable YouTube video of the little bunny eating raspberries (and then his lips look like he’s applied lipstick! So cute!). Then my partner saw it, and said “why do people like to see little animals eating?” Well, of course, it’s because they are just ADORABLE! Yahoo reports today that more than 6.6 million people have watched that little bunny with his berries. It is a good question; just why is this simple, short video so popular? In my opinion, it’s because we all long for those moments that take us away from ourselves, our worries, our issues and errands, and just get to say “Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.” We don’t get enough Aws in our life. But those of us in veterinary medicine get the opportunity to say “Awwww” much more often than regular folk. But do we always stop and appreciate those moments when we’re at work, in the thick of it? Not often enough, because there is so much to do, so little time, and so many animals and people needing our help. I heard from a manager once who’s very first job in veterinary medicine …
