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A new training tool
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| By
Marnette Denell Falley
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As you may know, we launched a new magazine especially for team
members last fall—Firstline. (Hopefully you've seen it around
the practice. I'd be even happier if you saw it in your team
members' hands.)
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Creature comforts
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A study conducted by the Saint Louis University School of Medicine
found that nursing-home residents prefer one-on-one time with man's
best friend.
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Top 10 breeds of 2005
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The United Kennel Club (UKC) released its list of the Top 10 Breeds
of 2005. The ranking, based on UKC registration figures, show
breeds from the hound group rounding out six of the top 10 spots.
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Take a bite out of bites
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According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control,
800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites each year;
half of the victims are children.
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The power of poop
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America's dogs and cats produce nearly 10 million tons of waste a
year. In San Francisco, animal feces makes up nearly 4 percent of
the city's waste?almost as much as disposable diapers. Yet one
animal's waste is another animal's treasure.
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Cross-training: burden or benefit?
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In a recent survey, 54 percent of team members felt cross-training was beneficial.
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Feline vaccination report coming
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A report from the American Association of Feline Practitioners on
feline vaccination is due out this summer. The key premise is it's
better to vaccinate more cats in the population, not just the same
cats over and over.
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Blood pressure fees
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| By
Denise Tumblin, CPA
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Should we charge separately for blood pressure evaluations or
incorporate these fees into our annual exam fees for pets 5 and
older and ill pets?
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Ditch school debt
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| By
Fritz Wood, CPA, CFP
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Are there programs that offer recent grads loan forgiveness?
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Bundle-of-joy benefits
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| By
Karen Felsted, DVM, CPA, CVPM, MS
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"When deciding on a maternity leave policy, you need to consider
the legal requirements as well as the total benefits package you
want to offer," says Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board
member Dr. Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, CVPM, a consultant at Brakke
Consulting Inc. in Dallas.
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Credit for dental prophys
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| By
Mark Opperman, CVPM
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When our owner's out of the building and the technicians perform dentals, does our part-time associate receive credit even if the owner scheduled it and already performed a physical exam?
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A site with foresight
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| By
Wayne Usiak, AIA
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I'm in the process of buying land for a new practice. How much land
do I need if I want to expand in the future?
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Seven ways to shine in a media interview
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| By
Rebecca Hart
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Interviews are a great opportunity to encourage interest and
educate the public about veterinary medicine and public health
matters. But good interviews don't happen by chance. It takes
thought, skill, and practice to convey your messages effectively.
Take these seven steps to make the most of your next media
opportunity.
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Keep clients from wiping out on the Web
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Dr. Doug Clarke at Pet Veterinary Clinic in Grandville, Mich., says
it used to send chills up his spine when clients said they'd been
looking up medical information on the Internet.
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The secret to happy employees
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| By
Bob Levoy
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The goal: As Bob Townsend, former CEO of Avis Rent A Car System
LLC, has said, "Create the kind of environment that pays people to
bring their brains to work." The more you identify and address
employees' job-related needs, the more likely they'll engage in
what psychologists call "motivated behavior."
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Better care with cage tags
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Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Southfield, Mich., is a large
specialty practice with a 24-hour facility. Technicians work
different shifts and are constantly passing on important
information about patients. "To improve communication between
shifts, we made cage tags that highlight patients' special needs,"
says Kathy Estrada, LVT, the practice's technical services manager.
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Make home only a scan away
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Dr. Cyrena Rose, a relief veterinarian in Miami, Fla., suggests
technicians check each chart during first puppy visits and annual
exams to see whether a pet is microchipped. "If the pet has a chip,
scan it to show clients that it's still working and remind them to
keep their contact information updated with the company that
manufactured the chip," says Dr. Rose. If clients moved or never
registered, this helps them realize the importance of registering,
she says. And of course, if the pet doesn't have a chip, this gives
the technician an opportunity to explain the benefits of
microchipping to the owner.
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Bring purrfection to someone's home
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During the spring and summer, shelters face a deluge of kittens.
The American Humane Association estimates that 70 million cats in
the United States need homes. If you want to help, June?which is
the designated Adopt-A-Cat Month?could be a great time to focus on
helping potential pet owners find feline companions.
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Rein in postdated checks
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Dr. Suzanne Miller Hogue, who owns Dr. S.B. Hogue DVM Inc., in
Farmdale, Ohio, doesn't accept postdated checks because if
something should happen, for example, if the client dies, the check
would no longer be good. Instead, she has clients date the check
for that day's date and attaches a sticky note with the date
clearly marked when the client wants it to go through the bank.
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Are you a premium practice?
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| By
Jeff Rothstein, DVM, MBA
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... we reward ourselves with premium products ...
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Case study: Senior testing education enhances care and compliance
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Dr. Daniel Brod, co-owner of Deer Creek Animal Hospital in
Littleton, Colo., says that in about one of every four senior dogs
he tests, he identifies early disease processes, such as renal,
liver, or thyroid disease?that's about 15 percent higher than in
younger dogs at his practice. And he sees similar results in his
feline patients. So the benefits of testing are clear. And his team
took just a few steps that helped to increase compliance.
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Cutting back on Saturdays
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High overtime costs prompted Gerard Gervasi, hospital administrator
at Collierville Animal Clinic in Collierville, Tenn., and the
practice owners to look into the financial impact of being open on
Saturdays. "Saturdays were the costliest days of operation for the
practice," he says. "And we didn't give the same level of care that
we did the rest of the week. By the end of the week, doctors and
staff members were tired, and we were only open five and a half
hours, which didn't always give us enough time to work up a sick
case properly."
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Giving in can be part of giving
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| By
Vivian Jamieson, DVM, Dipl. ACVO
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This doctor learned communication is a two-way street. And meeting this small dog in the middle made all the difference in the world.
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FDA: "No" to antiviral drugs in poultry
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a final rule to
prohibit extra-label use in poultry of two classes of approved
human antiviral drugs in treating influenza: anti-influenza
adamantane (amantadine and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitor
(oseltamivir and zanamivir).
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I'm leaving. Can I take my clients with me?
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| By
James F. Wilson, DVM
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I disagree with recent decisions my boss made and with the quality
of his practice. After 12 years, I'm ready to move out on my own. I
don't have a noncompete agreement and plan to open a practice in
the same town. My clients deserve to know I'm leaving and should
have the opportunity to follow me. What can I do?
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Keeping control of controlled substances
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Every practitioner who orders, dispenses, prescribes, or administers a controlled substance must be registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and sometimes with a state agency that regulates such activity, says Philip Seibert, CVT, a consultant with Veterinary Practice Consultants in Calhoun, Tenn., and editor of The Veterinary Safety & Health Digest. What's more, you must keep such substances in a "securely locked, substantially constructed cabinet or safe," according to Title 21 CFR 1301.75. So what exactly does that mean?
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Show bad clients the door
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| By
Mark Opperman, CVPM
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Difficult clients do your practice more harm than good by damaging team morale and causing conflict. Figure out who they are, and let them go.
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Sample client termination letter
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| By
Mark Opperman, CVPM
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Customize this sample Word document to terminate a doctor-client relationship politely and professionally.
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Find more fans
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| By
Craig Woloshyn, DVM
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When your team lives by a set of golden rules for client care, you
create a clientele that looks and acts more like a fan club. Here's
how to tap this energy and fuel your team's success.
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Specializing in the "perfect practice"
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| By
Sarah Moser
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These specialists designed their facility to reflect the care they give, focusing on traffic flow, workflow, and the potential for expansion. Today, clients and employees of Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson know the facility supports their goals.
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How do you wow 'em?
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| By
Amanda Bertholf
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Treat your clients better than their own doctor does. And keep in
mind, it's small investments in service that make the difference.
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Starting from scratch
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| By
Tom McFerson, CPA, ABV
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Opening your own practice takes courage and vision. And keeping it open requires profits. Tilt the odds for financial success in your favor by answering these six key questions about your new venture.
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Personnel with personal problems
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| By
W. Bradford Swift, DVM
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From divorce to debt, everyone deals with personal issues?and you
may feel you shoulder too big a burden. Use these strategies to
manage tough situations when they spill into the workplace.
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Be smarter about your hardware
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| By
Robert Lowes
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Don't buy home computers for the office?even if the price seems
irresistible. You'll save on aspirin when you spend a little more
on business-grade machines.
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Your practice may be worth less than you think
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| By
Karl Salzsieder, DVM, JD
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Too often practitioners who thought they were on the doorstep of
retirement are finding they need to work three to five years longer
than they thought—or even more. The problem: When they have
the practice valued, they find a gap between the retirement they
envision and what they can actually afford.
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Classroom
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This large room serves as a continuing-education room for community veterinarians, support staff, and pet owners. A small kitchenette sits adjacent. A separate entrance allows seminar attendees to enter and exit without disturbing clients in the reception area.
Photo by Robert Boulay, The Fine Line
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson in Tucson, Ariz.
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ICU
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All hospital functions spring from the ICU, which serves as the central hub for the hospital. With 27 cages, four runs, and two oxygen cages, the ICU sits in the middle of the hospital for easy access to and from each individual specialty area. The pharmacy, lab, and employee entrance are nearby.
Photo by Robert Boulay, The Fine Line
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson in Tucson, Ariz.
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Separate seating
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Clients and staff members enjoy a bath of sunlight in the reception area. Separate seating gives clients options, and a curved check-in desk with varying heights of countertops gives pet owners comfortable writing surfaces and receptionists some privacy.
Photo by Robert Boulay, The Fine Line
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson in Tucson, Ariz.
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Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson
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Exterior front.
Photo by Robert Boulay, The Fine Line
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson in Tucson, Ariz.
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Windows at dog's-eye level
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These rooms feature digital radiography equipment, including computer monitors to view radiographs, CT scans, and ultrasound images. Doctors also use PowerPoint presentations to explain disease conditions and treatments in the exam rooms. More features: windows placed at dog's-eye-level and wall-mounted fold-down exam tables that give the team more space, when needed.
Photo by Robert Boulay, The Fine Line
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson in Tucson, Ariz.
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