VPN Plus+ ExclusiveOur tacit pact with the purebred pet industryDecember 28, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAAs one of our path professors used to say, “If you want to start a successful practice, try befriending some boxer and Shar-pei breeders.” Although I date myself with this reference to currently less fashionable breeds (today we might rely more on our über allergy-prone doodles and everything-prone Frenchies), the core truth remains: We rely on our purebreds for profitability.
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VPN Plus+ ExclusiveThe clash of commerce and cultureNovember 10, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAThe culture of veterinary medicine has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. While the dedication displayed by veterinary school applicants seeking entry to programs seems not to have diminished, the emerging work ethos is arguably less enthusiastic than it once was. This shift in mentality, should you subscribe to this assessment, is often explained in terms of the dueling axioms describing our younger workforce’s approach to work-life balance: “working to live” rather than “living to work.”
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBeing down a team member doesn't have to be a recipe for disasterSeptember 15, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWhen faced with a similar (albeit less dramatic) associate shortage in the past, I have made do by restructuring basic operations, leaning on my team’s most experienced members to take over tasks formerly deemed “vet-only” areas. Here’s how I approached it, broadly...
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveVeterinary medicine is losing its personal touch August 12, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAFor me, it is that personal connection that matters most because, without it, I might as well be an accountant, or some other brand of desk jockey. The way I see it, if I’m not invested in my patient and their people, I would not be as motivated to be kind, compassionate, thorough, and diligent.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveA perspective against private equityJuly 7, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBABy the end of this column, I hope to explain the essence of private equity investing well enough to show there is nothing defensible (or even capitalist) about it. Even if you are one of the few fortunate veterinary practice owners likely to benefit enormously from it—trust me, there is nothing to love beyond what it does for your personal bank account. (I begrudge you not one penny of it. You have earned it!)
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveMy wildest dreams?June 2, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAPractices like mine are easily worth 20 times their original sale price (and possibly a lot more given our profession’s feverish practice transaction climate in many suburban markets). Trouble is, I have such mixed feelings on the subject of selling that I do not even want to know my practice’s current market value. Sure, I can have a proper valuation done, but do I really want to go there?
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveWhat to do when morale hits the skidsMay 5, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWhile it looks like we may be coming out from under the weight of the worst this pandemic has to offer, it is going to take time to restore our practices to their stable workflows and our teams to the purpose-driven, satisfied working groups we once enjoyed. Here are some carrot and stick solutions, short- and long-term, to help address the low morale that currently plagues so many of us.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTattoos and don'ts?March 17, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWe all have our views on the subject: electing to dress, cut our hair, and otherwise alter our appearance in accordance with these. Some, however, seem ever determined to impose their personal standards on others.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveWhy branding in veterinary medicine matters more than everFebruary 16, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWhile it may be troubling, even insulting, to be referred to in terms so crassly commercial, brands and branding are extremely useful tools to help guide your career, focus your efforts, achieve your goals, and–most importantly, I’ll argue–enhance your enjoyment of veterinary medicine.
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.
