How You'll Benefit if Your Clients Have Pet InsuranceAugust 14, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. When the owners of a cat with a spinal issues wreaking havoc with its mobility brought their pet into Pen-Ohio Veterinary Services in West Middlesex, Pa., they were advised to proceed with a series of laser treatments for $150. "Before it was out of my mouth they said 'Let's do it,'" said Boomer Pearsall, the clinic's practice manager. "They said 'We don't' care about the price, we have pet insurance.'" The quick go-ahead was given on top of treatments for periodontal disease requiring anesthesia, digital X-rays and likely several extractions, a quoted expense of between $900 to $1,100, Pearsall said. Not only are insured pets brought into see the veterinarian more often, their owners tend to utilize services more and better follow doctor's advice. That's the consensus from pet insurance experts spoken with. "Insured pets do have more visits and greater spending on their care than non-insured pets," said Jack Stephens, DVM, founder of insurer Pets Best in Boise, Idaho. Several industry-conducted studies in the past five years seem to back this up. …
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How to Add Pet Hospice and Palliative Care to Your PracticeAugust 14, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Right along with baby boomers, the pet population is aging as well. According to the U.S. Pet Market Outlook for 2014-2015, approximately 45 percent of dog owners have a dog aged 7 or older, and 46 percent of cat owners have a cat in that age bracket. Life with a senior pet has many joys, but it also comes with age-related health problems and, eventually, the recognition that a pet's days are drawing to an end. Not that long ago, owners would find themselves contemplating euthanasia sooner than they might like, but veterinary hospice and palliative-care programs now offer them a chance for a greater quality time with a dog or cat before the need to say goodbye. A Growing Need for Hospice Care Hospice is a philosophy of care that emphasizes quality of life over quantity of life. The idea of hospice for pets was originated by veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos, who refers to it as "pawspice." She says veterinary practices and communities can benefit from the emerging …
Why You Should Get to the Heart of the Human-Animal BondAugust 11, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved this article? Subscribe to the magazine today! I was in New York City recently for a senior dog adoption event and for meetings at various magazine offices. I’d brought along my 14-year-old senior Pomeranian/Yorkie/Chihuahua cross, “Porkuhuhua” Quixote, who has a unique face and coat that make him look like a puppy despite his senior status. Now, New York City has about 8.5 million people, compared to my home town of Bonners Ferry, which has around 2,200. But there’s one thing they have in common: If I have Quixote with me, everyone’s my best buddy – even in New York, a town famous for its less-than-friendly strangers! It’s well known that pets are a conversation catalyst or social lubricant, a fact often exploited by guys who are tired of the bachelor life. It’s also a lifesaver for people dealing with stigmatizing conditions or illnesses, who find their social isolation is over when they have a pet with them. Marty becker Dr. Marty Becker with Quixote. The great news is: You don’t have to be looking for love or a lifeline to …
Why You Should Dress ProfessionallyAugust 10, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved this article? Subscribe to the magazine today! If you want to get paid as a professional, you need look like one. Your scruffy clothes or granola appearance could communicate a lackluster attitude toward personal hygiene, which could have implications for hospital infections, argues Dr. Stephanie Dancer, a consultant microbiologist at Hairmyres Hospital in Scotland.1 I agree. Here are faux pas that could hurt your credibility and leadership role as the veterinarian, whether you're an associate doctor or practice owner: 1) Clients can't tell whether you're the doctor or technician. Avoid wearing scrubs when seeing appointments, even on your surgery day. Slip on a white lab coat or zip-up smock that's embroidered with your doctor title and the hospital logo. Because emergency doctors will float between exam rooms and the treatment area, you'll need to wear scrubs, but put a lab coat over your scrubs before walking into exam rooms. Emergency care also has higher fees, so you need to look like a trusted professional to panicked pet owners, who you're meeting for the first time. Whether you're a general practitioner, specialist or emergency …
16 Simple Stress Hacks for VeterinariansAugust 10, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved this article? Then subscribe today! Let me begin with a disclaimer: I’m no expert on the subject of maintaining any sane sort of work-life balance. In fact, most of my attempts might read more like Grimm-style cautionary tales than models for successful veterinary living. That’s probably because, like most of you, I consider myself a semi-slave to this glorious profession. Indeed, there’s a reason why the twin maxims “living to work” and “working to live” seem synonymous to me. I like to call it “career-life dysmorphia syndrome,” a disease of the mind that centers on an inability to accurately perceive the boundary between the dual bodies that define our lives. Despite my disorder (or is it a character flaw?), I remain an indefatigable seeker of this aforementioned equilibrium. Who wouldn’t want to feel perfectly poised between a profession that provides stimulation and sustenance and a private existence that’s both meaningful and restorative? I do. Especially after the week I’ve had. Two back-to-back IMTPs, a mysterious jaw fracture (long story) and …
5 Tips to Boost Efficiency in Your Veterinary PracticeJuly 29, 2015As a former practice owner, I can remember asking myself the same questions over and over. “Do I really have control over anything?” “Why can’t I work smarter instead of harder?” “What can I do to make us more efficient?” “Does anybody else feel this way?” I remember one day in particular that burst out of nowhere like a perfect storm. It was one of the most overwhelming days of my career. And it occurred while I was still working solo in my (at the time) mixed-animal practice. Without going into details about the day, in the midst of it all, here’s the thing that made it so memorable: One of my vet techs stopped me and said, “Dr. Pearson, look at your ring!” My gold wedding band had developed a distinct green tint all around. No, we had not used any chemicals other than what we’d use on any other day. I had not treated any cows for foot rot. And, that’s the first and last time it’s ever happened. I’ve never tried to research this, but I’ve always believed it had to do with an over-the-top level of stress. The real cause for the stress: I had not …
Do We Cater to Unconventional Clients?July 20, 2015Originally published in the July 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved this article and want to see more like it? Then subscribe today! Last month I wrote a column for my local paper on the subject of animal hoarding. As usual, I pushed the limits of my typical reader’s comfort zone by concluding with the question, “Could you be a hoarder?” Though you might think it an excessively combative approach for a weekly ask-the-vet column, aggressively confronting mental health concerns has served me well in the past. And as it turned out, it proved fruitful here, too. The day after the column ran, one of our clients openly disclosed that the column had impressed her. “I guess I’m a hoarder,” she acknowledged to our receptionist (and to everyone else within earshot, too). Which is something the rest of us already suspected. I mean, 19 cats and 900 square feet do not add up. Nor can the single income of the average American begin to address the myriad demands a household of 20 mammals (of any denomination) makes. In case you’re wondering, our receptionist responded pretty much the same way most of …
How to Schedule More Follow-Up CareJuly 7, 2015Originally published in the July 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved it? Then subscribe today! Through blood-shot eyes, Mrs. Jones explains her sleepless night of listening to her dog scratch his left ear. You diagnose an ear infection and ask your technician to show her how to clean the dog’s ears and apply ointment. You tell Mrs. Jones that you will need to see Duke again in two weeks. She nods in agreement and goes to the front desk to check out. The receptionist asks, “Do you want to make an appointment for Duke’s recheck?” Mrs. Jones replies, “I need to check my schedule and will call you tomorrow.” Mrs. Jones forgets to call. Patient care and practice health may suffer from the lack of follow-up care. Only 4 percent of practices always schedule medical progress exams at checkout, 35 percent do so often and 49 percent sometimes do.1 Every healthcare team member influences clients’ decisions to schedule follow-up care. Here are strategies to ensure that your staff takes a consistent approach: Change your terminology. The term “recheck” sounds optional while “medical progress exam” communicates that follow-up care is urgent and …
Is the Golden Age of Veterinary Medicine Over?July 6, 2015The subject of “Golden Age” has come up before… Back in 2001, American Animal Hospital Association (AHHA) Executive Director, Dr. John W. Albers believed the profession was entering "the golden age of veterinary medicine." Many of the points Dr. Albers made in his speech to the AAHA meeting in 2001 remain opportunities today. For example, he stated that veterinarians are their own worst enemies by setting low fees for services. He then reminded the 2,400 people in attendance of the obvious opportunity our profession has to fill our role in the deepening affection people have for their pets. Later, Dr. Dennis McCurnin wrote in a lengthy article in April 2010, that we were entering the “Golden Age” of veterinary medicine. Reading what he had to say then is still relevant today and well worth your time. He tackles many issues like student debt to salary ratio, the effects of corporate practices on private practices and finding ways to achieve a balanced lifestyle. His overall advice to overcome these challenges is to increase efficiency in delivering quality services. Be …
Goldilocks and the Veterinary ProfessionJune 15, 2015Originally published in the June 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News Do you recall “The Story of the Three Bears”? In it, Goldilocks tested the bears’ bowls of porridge; one was too hot, one too cold and one just right. This is much like the state of veterinary practice today as we debate whether we have too many, too few or just the right number of veterinarians. I facilitated a panel discussion on concerns about the future of our profession during the CVC East convention in Washington, D.C. in April. The event was supported by The VIN Foundation with the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics (www.svme.org). Participating in the day-long program were Dr. Dennis McCurnin; Mark Cushing, J.D., of Animal Advocacy Group; Dr. Paul Pion, co-founder of Veterinary Information Network (VIN); and Dr. Tony Bartels, MBA, who with his veterinarian wife have about $450,000.00 of student debt. Dr. McCurnin began by describing how our profession crept into its situation with statistics that show veterinary medical education is in a potential bubble. He pointed out that two new veterinary schools are operational this year and two more are planned in the near future, and noted that more foreign schools are being …
