Beyond the Numbers Blog Thoughts & Advice on Veterinary Practice Management
I’ve been a veterinarian now for 22 years and what I have learned is that not every client is equal. There are so many awesome clients — they are kind, empathetic, aware of medical limitations and the fact that veterinarians don’t possess a crystal ball. Other clients though are “awesome-challenged”—they may have unrealistic...Read More
Often, veterinary team members get caught up in the busy moments of the practice. Receptionists check clients in and out, answer the phones and make appointments. Veterinary technicians provide nursing care to patients, client education, and aid in the diagnoses of patient diseases and illnesses. Veterinarians perform surgery, diagnose cases and prescribe medication....Read More
Measuring your practice’s success in terms of revenue, compliance and return on investment are just a few areas that indicate how your practice is performing. In order to move forward, you not only need to know where you want to go, but where you are now. This enables you to create a plan...Read More
Have you been ghosted? Or catfished? As the title indicates, I am not talking about the dating scene – I am referring to our hiring processes! In case you aren’t familiar with these terms, ghosting is a lack of response after an attempt at communication – you can view the Oxford definition here....Read More
Anyone can tell you what the basics of outstanding customer service are. A smiling face, positive attitude, friendly personality, and a helpful approach all contribute to a good customer experience. If I say “outstanding customer service” you may picture a smiling, welcoming receptionist, just itching to help your clients. While these characteristics are all...Read More
Three things well-managed practices typically have in common are organized teams, distinct team leaders with defined responsibilities, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). There are endless benefits to creating Standard Operating Procedures for your veterinary practice! Unique to each clinic, SOPs are vital to patient care and safety. Not only do SOPs streamline training,...Read More
Our industry has a problem. This became abundantly clear to me when I attended the VHMA Critical Issues Summit on Pricing in Chicago earlier this month. The summit began with a presentation from Dr. Karen Felsted of PantheraT Consulting who set the stage for the conversation to follow. Presenting data from both the...Read More
In a previous post, I shed some light on how to know if your practice needs a Wellness Plan. Say you’ve determined that your clients need one. What’s next? Developing a Wellness Plan for your practice can feel daunting, but it’s actually not as hard as it may seem. Here are five keys...Read More
President Harry Truman once said: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” This truism doesn’t just apply to presidents, Fortune 500 CEOs, and other influencers -- it applies to veterinary professionals, too. If you want to demonstrate excellent practice leadership, you need to make time to read. It’s that simple....Read More
If you’ve ever spent more than five minutes in a veterinary practice, you’ll know that the veterinary receptionist has one of the hardest jobs out there. I would rather spay 10 fat labs than spend one day working at the front desk. As a veterinary receptionist, you have to spend the entire day...Read More
