Practice Management

26 June

Myths and Facts about Cloth Face Coverings

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

This week, the Secretary of Health announced a public health order requiring everyone to wear face coverings in public. This requirement starts on Friday, June 26. The emerging science on face coverings indicates that they are effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 if we wear them consistently. And “consistently” means that all of us—even if we feel healthy—need to wear a cloth face covering in public places. We’re going to be covering our faces for a while. Gather up the...

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19 June

New veterinary client communication regulations set to take effect end of July

wsvma   |   Practice Management, State Regulatory

The Veterinary Board of Governors (VBOG) has finalized new rules that establish minimum requirements for veterinarians when communicating evaluation and treatment options to clients. The new rule is intended “to ensure care provided promotes the health and safety of animal patients based on client decisions and emphasizes the importance of consultation with clients.” The decision to establish the new requirements stems from a 2017 petition by a pet owner whose dog died after being given NSAIDs and who wanted to...

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12 June

Urge lawmakers to reverse course on taxing PPP expenses

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

Veterinary professionals and veterinary business owners can support our colleagues by asking Congress to pass legislation ensuring that business owners impacted by COVID-19 aren’t penalized by income-tax rules after taking out a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Despite recent legislation that made improvements to the PPP loan program, PPP borrowers are prohibited from claiming federal tax deductions that are normally fully deductible – including some rent and utility payments, and wages and benefits paid to employees – for forgivable...

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22 May

SBA releases small business loan forgiveness guidance

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

The Small Business Administration (SBA) just recently released additional information on the forgiveness aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program and the application that will be utilized - Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application. It includes a detailed worksheet and guidance to calculate eligible expenses for forgiveness. The PPP loan forgiveness application clarifies many of the common questions from borrowers while providing details on additional requirements for loan forgiveness. Highlights include: Borrowers have the option to pick and choose which non-payroll...

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22 May

ESD, L&I publish guidance for common workplace safety concerns and employment scenarios during the pandemic

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

The Employment Security Department has published Employer FAQ and Worker FAQ to address common questions as businesses resume operations. The Department of Labor and Industries has published a Paid Sick Leave FAQ. The two agencies worked together to establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave FAQ. Combined, these FAQ address a range of possible scenarios that may unfold as workplaces resume operations. Questions involving work refusal and unemployment eligibility have been especially frequent. Workers collecting unemployment must have a good cause reason...

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22 November

Five Steps to Ensure New Employees Start Off on the Right Foot

wsvma   |   Practice Management

A study published in the Academy of Management Journal found that the first 90 days of employment, often referred to as the probationary period, is pivotal for building rapport with the company, management, and coworkers. When support levels are high from the team and leaders, new hires often have more positive attitudes about their jobs and worked harder. When support and direction aren’t offered, the opposite occurs, leading to unhappy and unproductive employees who stay at their jobs no longer...

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15 November

Federal overtime pay rule could affect some veterinary practices

wsvma   |   Practice Management

A new federal rule will extend overtime pay requirements to more workers as of January 1, 2020. Some veterinary practices and employees could be affected by the U.S. Department of Labor rule. The rule raises the earnings thresholds for workers to be exempted from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requirements that workers be paid overtime pay of at least 1.5 times their regular pay rate for any hours worked in excess of a 40-hour workweek. The Department of Labor estimates that 1.3...

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15 November

Having trouble finding a veterinarian to hire? Consider an employer student loan repayment program

wsvma   |   Practice Management

Paycor.com examined the benefits of employer repayment programs in “Employer Student Loan Repayment Program: 5 Tips for 2020” stating, “Companies that offer student loan debt relief can more easily attract and retain talent. In fact, studies indicate that 86% of workers between the ages of 22 and 33 would commit to an employer for five years if the employer offered a student loan repayment program.” The article also provides advice to employees to help repay their student loans and also...

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08 November

Forward Booking is Best Practice for Your Practice

wsvma   |   Practice Management

Forward Booking is scheduling ALL patients’ next appointments before they leave your practice, regardless of the reason for their current visit. Many veterinary practices do a great job of this when it comes to medical rechecks. However, the veterinary profession often falls short when it comes to forward booking preventive healthcare checkups. According to the 2014 Veterinary Hospital Managers Association Insiders’ Insights Report and the 2013 American Animal Hospital Association State of the Industry Report, less than 3% of practices...

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11 October

Shine a Spotlight on Veterinary Technicians – An Update from the AVMA

wsvma   |   Practice Management

National Veterinary Technician Week is just around the corner (October 13-19) and it provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the important work done by veterinary technicians. One of the areas identified by the AVMA House of Delegates during recent meetings was the need for greater recognition of veterinary technicians. Well-utilized veterinary technicians have a positive impact on patient care, client service, quality of medicine, and quality of life for the veterinary health care team. The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in...

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