Practice Management

22 June

Communicating with Clients through Body Language

Sherri Dean   |   Practice Management

When a potential client calls your hospital, do your team members exude friendliness and professionalism over the telephone?  When a client walks thru the door, do they feel immediately welcomed by staff? During the JumpStart Boot Camp session held for WSVMA members on May 20th and 21st, the importance of non- verbal communication (i.e. facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice) was highlighted. Non-verbal communication is frequently overlooked in veterinary hospitals in spite of the fact it accounts...

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15 June

New reminder tool to get inactive clients back in the door

wsvma   |   Practice Management

Need help getting lapsed clients back in the door? Partners for Healthy Pets’ new inactive client reminder program is designed to do just that with proven success in reengaging clients who have been absent from their veterinary practices. Within six months of implementing the reminder program, participating veterinary practices: Generated an average of 128 patient visits from formerly inactive clients. Had an overall 8.5% inactive-client response rate (percentage of clients who responded to the email and brought their pets in...

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09 June

Free resource – AAHA/VMG Standardized Chart of Accounts

wsvma   |   Practice Management

Traditionally, the accounting methods of individual veterinary practices are as diverse as the owners themselves. Times are changing … and for the better. Through a partnership, led by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), Veterinary Management Groups (VMG), VetPartners, and the Veterinary Hospital Manager’s Association (VHMA), individual veterinarians now have access to a free, powerful finance tool.  Working with VMG, AAHA’s previously ‘member’s only’ Chart of Accounts, was revised and expanded. The AAHA/VMG Chart of...

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09 June

Having success with forward booking appointments? Enter this contest!

wsvma   |   Practice Management

We're excited to announce the Forward Booking WORKS! Testimonial Contest! What is a testimonial contest you ask? To help publicize the benefits of forward booking we are asking practices to send us testimonials regarding their experiences with forward booking. Through these testimonials we hope to spread the word to the veterinary profession about real-life experiences in which practices have benefited from implementing forward booking and encourage all veterinary practices to adopt forward booking as a best practice. To enter the...

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28 April

Electric heating pads for warming patients? Don’t make this mistake

wsvma   |   Practice Management

A local TV news station recently reported a story about a Seattle area dog that died from severe burns while the dog was under anesthesia for a dental procedure. The heating device used to prevent hypothermia was an electric heating pad and the dog was reported to have suffered burns on 90% of her body. Perioperative Hypothermia is a real concern and steps should be taken to prevent even mild hypothermia. But what methods are considered the appropriate standard of care? Conventional...

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14 April

Why Implement Genetics Testing in Companion Animal Practice?

wsvma   |   Practice Management

As veterinarians and animal health care team members there are many factors that compete for our attention.  Balancing practice ownership and hospital operations, patient case management and client interactions is time consuming. As a result, most of our time is spent managing the present.  What trends and opportunities are you missing by not planning for the future? In 2005, researchers at Harvard and the Broad Institute of MIT released the genomic sequence of the dog.  Researchers based at the National Cancer...

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14 April

Forward booking testimonial contest – win big prizes!

wsvma   |   Practice Management

We're excited to announce the Forward Booking WORKS! Testimonial Contest! What is a testimonial contest you ask? To help publicize the benefits of forward booking we are asking members to send us testimonials regarding their experiences with forward booking. Through these testimonials we hope to spread the word to the veterinary profession about real-life experiences in which practices have benefited from implementing forward booking and encourage all veterinary practices to adopt forward booking as a best practice. To enter the...

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07 April

How to encourage the use of pet health insurance

Cassie Isackson   |   Practice Management

Recent research results from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) show that the majority of veterinarians they surveyed prefer their clients to be covered by pet health insurance. Having pet health coverage significantly improves patient care and practice revenue by increasing compliance and the purchases of veterinary medical services. NAPHIA also reports that in related research, over 50% more pet owners would purchase coverage if their veterinarian recommended it. Here are methods used by veterinary practices to encourage clients...

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07 April

2nd day added for WSVMA’s Jump Start Boot Camp

Cassie Isackson   |   Practice Management

Due to the popularity of the program, we’ve added a second day on Sunday, May 21 for WSVMA’s JumpStart Bootcamp. On Sunday, May 21, 2017, the WSVMA is offering a valuable educational program for all members of the practice team. Presented by Terra Shastri, this one day Boot Camp workshop, will lead staff through step-by-step processes to learn how to: Turn phone shoppers into clients Overcome client objections create better pet health Gain clients for life by effectively handling client...

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07 April

Pre-book appointments: why not?

Cassie Isackson   |   Practice Management

When a client brings his/her pet in for an appointment, consider pre-booking the client’s next appointment (such as the next annual wellness exam) before the client leaves the practice. This is a great way to improve client compliance and fill up the appointment book with a minimal investment in staff time.  Dentist offices have been doing it for years and there is a reason – it works.  Practice owners who are already pre-booking clients’ annual appointments share they receive very...

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