For too long, practitioners undervalued their services, charged too little and often gave away care for free. Though this may still be true for some, others digested the message about a healthy business supporting good medicine and raised their fees. But to make this equation work, you need to raise the level of service, too.

Should the doctor know the prices for procedures and services?

How important is it to buy telephone-directory advertising?

What's considered an inactive client, and how often should you purge inactive clients?

I'm considering building a facility. What average revenue growth can owners expect five and 10 years after building, adding onto, or remodeling a practice?

What's the expected average increase in gross income in the year after opening a practice?

How should I handle a chronically sick employee who calls in at the last minute or struggles to come in ill? I previously switched her from hourly- to salary-based pay, and I'm considering changing her back.

My partner and I recently learned that we're paying associates more than other practitioners in our area do. How should we get our compensation more in line with prevailing wages—with a salary freeze or a pay cut?

Let's solve your morale problem by just firing all the unhappy people. Think that sounds rash? The truth is you have nothing to gain from keeping them around. You can't change them. Yes, you can require certain behaviors, such as being on time, doing their jobs, or developing proficient skills or knowledge. But a lot of people simply have a rotten, negative attitude, and there isn't much you or anyone else can do to change that.