VPN Plus+ ExclusiveRewire fixed ideas to ease personal torment over euthanasiaDecember 3, 2020Learn tips to focus your mindset on the positive aspects of euthanasia to boost your well-being.
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VPN Plus+ ExclusiveHoliday hazards infographic downloadNovember 19, 2020This marketing infographic is for VPN Plus+ members to use in your clinics reminding clients what foods and items are dangerous to pets during the holidays.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveVeterinary chiropractic: A friend or foe to your patients?November 18, 2020By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMAChiropractic is primarily the manipulation of bones in the spine in an effort to treat or prevent disease or to reduce discomfort. Though therapeutic manipulation of bones in the spine has a long history, chiropractic—as it is understood today—was invented in the late 19th century by Daniel David Palmer. He conceived the notion that all disease results from vertebrae in the spine being out of place (so-called "subluxations"), and that their forceful manipulation (an "adjustment") can prevent or treat disease. He gave varying explanations for this idea over time, often claiming nerves carried a spiritual energy called "innate intelligence," and that obstruction of the flow of this energy by vertebral subluxations caused medical symptoms.1,2 Few chiropractors today still adhere to the notion of a mystical energy such as innate intelligence as the source of disease or the focus of chiropractic treatment. However, there is a split in the field with respect to the subluxation concept.3,4 Most chiropractors still view subluxation, or the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC), as a real entity causing illness and that can be corrected by chiropractic manipulation. These practitioners also sometimes reject modern scientific explanations of illness, such as germ theory, and may recommend their patients avoid …
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveLasering in on a better approach for BOAS patientsNovember 13, 2020A practical guide of surgical tips to using lasers for BOAS patients, as well as an overview of related issues for brachycephalic dog breeds.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveAbuse: What veterinarians should know, what they can doNovember 5, 2020Veterinarians are on the front lines of seeing abuse in both pets and people. What can they do? What should they do? And how has determining abuse or neglect in animals changed in a world of COVID?
VPN Plus+ ExclusivePlaying monopoly with real money: How veterinarians are losing the price warOctober 30, 2020By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBACompetition is alive and well in veterinary medicine. But as our industry confronts increased corporatization and consolidation, the word has acquired a new resonance for many of us.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveA captive audience: The power of digital communicationOctober 20, 2020I usually get the same answer when I ask what the biggest issue in the veterinary practice is: Communication. Most, if not all, problems within a practice or any business really stems from poor communication. Poor team, poor client, or poor owner/manager communication. The effects COVID has had on communication between clients and the practice has been dramatic to say the least. So how can we connect to our disconnected clients and improve communication? How can we use our social media platforms to bring our clients into the fold of the practice all while being online? Social media can be bittersweet for many veterinary practices. The time and effort it takes to plan and post good quality content is generally the biggest and most common hurdle. Some practices have turned to keeping clients informed on changes and updates by posting to their website, but often overlook their social media pages. Last March, everyone faced a major communication hurdle and in a lot of ways, digital communication was the primary method people used to stay in touch. Veterinary practices had to pivot quickly and adopt lots of new ways of delivering patient care and good client communication. They turned to video, …
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveLighten the financial load—Why debt consolidation may be the answerOctober 20, 2020Debt is a burden many veterinarians carry. The average 2019 graduate owes roughly $150,000 in educational debt, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Veterinary professionals also often juggle credit card, loan, and real estate debt from multiple creditors and lenders throughout their careers. The amount of debt you carry can affect everything from your credit score and borrowing power to your bank account and mental health. While some borrowers sought deferment or forbearance on payments due to the pandemic, this only provides temporary relief. A longer-lasting solution is needed to truly gain more control of your financial situation. If your obligations have you feeling overwhelmed, consolidation may be the answer for you. Debt consolidation is when you use one loan to pay off your other debts in full. Benefits of this include: simplifying and taking control of your finances, improving your credit profile, and providing easier management of your money. Examining what you owe It's nearly impossible to run a veterinary business without taking on some level of debt. As owners open new lines of credit and take out loans to help cover their costs, it's easy to lose sight of the cumulative amount owed, which can be …
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveWhen bad reviews happen to good veterinariansOctober 14, 2020By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAEveryone reacts differently, but there’s no getting away from the fact negative reviews hurt, which is exactly what the reviewer is trying to achieve.
VPN Plus+ ExclusivePaper versus paperless: What is best for your practice?October 6, 2020I've taken my pets to see a veterinarian more times than I can count. When I check in at the front desk, I usually can't help but notice if the practice has rows of manila file folders lined up neatly on shelves. Bright color-coded tabs representing an alphabetic order of patient names protrude slightly from the long shelves and cabinets. I often wonder why that practice has decided to stick with paper files rather than switching to a paperless system. The answer is typically based on several factors. Going paperless in a digital world We do nearly everything online now—appointments, reservations, banking, and, as of 2020, we even work and learn online. Does that mean the end of paper, folders, and color-coded files? For some, yes. For others, no. And for many, it's somewhere in between. Today, practices generally fall within three categories as they relate to paperless systems: 100 percent paperless practices Some practices have already made the switch and conduct every task, update every record, and communicate with every client in some digital capacity. They are not only using software for their medical records, but are also using digital images, online inventory, vendor management systems, …
