AAHA Bolsters Your Business

Did you miss our recent webinars? Here’s your chance to catch up on the latest in AAHA Learning with our webinar recap roundup.

The American Animal Hospital Association named Canobie Lake Veterinary Hospital in Windham, New Hampshire the 2024 AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year! This article features interviews with the practice founder, team members and clients about what makes the practice so special.

The global US pet insurance market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.5% from 2024 to 2030, to reach an estimated $10 billion market size by 2030. But cost, lack of understanding of the benefits, and lack of recommendations from veterinarians are some of the limiting factors hindering its wider acceptance.

My Pet Ate is a monthly feature that centers around the not-so-savory eats pets can snarf up in the blink of an eye that can put their health at risk. If your pet ingested a substance and you’re unsure if it’s toxic, call your veterinarian or an organization like the Pet Poison Helpline immediately to get your questions answered.

Does your veterinary practice memorialize patients after they have passed? Read on to find some creative ways to support families who have had to say goodbye to their pets and bond them to your practice for life.

Care about improving technician utilization in clinical practice? Until December 1, you have a unique chance to make your voice heard.

Want to empower your team to respond to your clients’ concerns independently? Read on to learn to “train to your list, test on your training, then let your team loose.”

Ever wish you could effortlessly incorporate AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines into your practice culture? Now you can with our comprehensive implementation toolkit.

A clinic whose leadership acknowledges that transitions are part of life and work creates a place where people want to come to work. But transitions can be hard to navigate. This article outlines the three stages of transitions: honor what’s lost, rewrite the “shoulds”/Inner Critic, and look for signs of the new, to help clinics thrive through transition.

In a recent webinar hosted on AAHA’s learning platform, veterinary safety expert Carol Hurst, LVT, CVPM, CVJ, highlighted OSHA’s most common violations in animal care settings and offered practical advice for staying compliant.

In collaboration with Admired Leadership, check out their article from their Field Notes newsletter, which is a blurb about daily leadership wisdom you can read in about a minute.

In this competitive environment, there are special offers, seasonal “specials,” and other volume purchase discounts available to your practice. If you play your cards right, these can help clients save money while increasing your profits. But, if not properly taken advantage of, these savings may actually be reducing your practice’s profit.

Based on polls and census figures, the number of LGBTQ+ people in the veterinary profession will increase substantially in the next five to 10 years. This begs the question, should there be more directed mentorship and support for queer ascent in the profession?

Veterinary practices need help attracting senior pets into their clinics, and with giving clients useful, practical tips that will allow the seniors (and their caregivers) to have as easy a last chapter in life as possible.

These tips from the 2023 AAHA Senior Care Guidelines can help show that love for your clients and their senior pets.

AAHA position statement explains why the Board of Directors disagrees with the use of MLPs in veterinary medicine.

The answer is both! How combined financial solutions can positively impact your practice.

Can you diagnose and prescribe based on a video visit without a physical exam?  It depends on the state(s) in which you practice–and even then, it’s sometimes hard to know.

In collaboration with Admired Leadership, check out their article from their Field Notes newsletter, which is a blurb about daily leadership wisdom you can read in about a minute.

“Doctor Google!” Say these words to any medical care provider—human or veterinary—and you will immediately get a negative reaction. But actually, there are vast quantities of excellent, accurate and useful information available online. So why the attitude?

The pandemic changed many aspects of our day-to-day lives, including what is endured at the workplace for veterinary professionals. Changes in patient load, staffing shortages, and client expectations have exponentially increased the workload for credentialed veterinary technicians (CrVTs).

As AAHA’s Stay, Please study found, flexibility in scheduling and job duties is a strong driver of both retention and attrition in veterinary medicine. In other words, when flexibility is done well, it inspires good people to stay. But when it’s done poorly, it’s also a top reason why people leave their current jobs in clinical practice—or even clinical practice altogether.

High turnover rates of skilled support staff can be costly, disrupt team dynamics, and compromise patient safety. Here are the key strategies for retaining these valuable team members by building a strong community, fostering a sense of purpose, investing in personal growth and development, and ensuring effective management practices.

Telehealth services are considered part of the solution for growing professional concerns such as access to care and workforce shortages. The list of cases that can be handled through telemedicine is long, and the opportunities to utilize technicians are many.

The People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act introduced earlier this month could change how pet owners pay for care, specifically by expanding the ways they can use their Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

AAHA will introduce the Community Care Guidelines for Small Animal Practice next month. Read on for a preview of the new guidelines.

In collaboration with Admired Leadership, check out their article from their Field Notes newsletter, which is a blurb about daily leadership wisdom you can read in about a minute.

Has your state passed new laws affecting how you practice veterinary medicine (or are they in the works)? How would you even know? Read on for a sampling of the latest changes and ways to stay (or get) involved.

A conversation with Casey Callanan, MBA, of Clear Contender, LLC, who offers tips on getting into podcasting and using content for social media promotions.

In the US alone, about 20 million pets experience poverty with their families and 70% of these animals have never seen a veterinarian, according to the HSUS. Some organizations have been working for years on these access-to-care problems but now awareness by others is growing. The awareness has even prompted the suggestion of a term for it: “veterinary care deserts.”

Opportunities for career advancement can help improve retention in clinical practice—and there are several ways to make sure the people who keep your practice running are getting the opportunities they desire.

Mentorship benefits veterinary practices in numerous ways, from improving retention to increasing the bottom line. And the good news is, your practice can use existing resources to get started with a mentorship program.

Everybody loves a good story—that’s why effective storytelling can save lives in the world of veterinary medicine.

Embracing mentorship can elevate a practice by boosting a team’s professional growth, job satisfaction, and clinic success. Here’s what you should know about the requirements and benefits of mentorship in veterinary practice.

Over the last few years, credentialed veterinary technicians have continued to play a vital role in the progression of veterinary medicine. They are utilized more in practice to improve efficiency, workflow, and overall profitability in our clinics. Technicians can also be utilized to improve feline interactions overall and reduce the impact of fear and other negative emotions that may be associated with visits. By Jamie Rauscher, LVT.

Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, shares insights into the importance of personalized experiences in veterinary practice.

Is flexibility possible as an employee? These veterinary team members say yes, share what it means to them, and give advice on how to achieve it.

Want to learn more about how telehealth can benefit your patients, clients, and your practice? Now you can with our comprehensive implementation toolkit.

Looking for inspiration on how to provide more flexibility to your team? Check out some of the creative ways hospital leaders are making it work.

The phrases “hiring for fit” and “hiring for culture” are often used as guiding recruitment principles, and on the surface, they seem like a great way to build a harmonious team. However, it’s important to understand how these practices can also foster bias.

AAHA CON 2024 is just a couple flips of the calendar away, and if you haven’t already made plans to head to National Harbor, Maryland, this September for our annual veterinary conference, there’s no time like the present to get started.

Hurricane Ian left a path of devastation when it hit Florida in 2022. Now, almost two years later, the destruction of VCA’s hospital on Sanibel Island allowed their team to rebuild not only a bigger practice but one that provides more comprehensive pet care.

Many practice owners start thinking about selling too late—whether they hope to sell to an individual or a corporation. That’s because finding a practitioner-buyer other than an associate can take several years, and consolidators typically require sellers to keep working for years. So what do you do?

If you’re considering selling to a Veterinary Services Organization (VSO)—sometimes called consolidators or corporate owners—careful planning and strategic decision-making are essential.

From letting your message speak for itself to supporting your people on the front lines, we have tips for handling public backlash from a vet who’s been there.

Stepping into a managerial role in an animal hospital can be challenging—especially when it means supervising former peers.

Vet med has reached a pivotal point where our previously tech-averse, predominantly privileged, white population of veterinary professionals is now becoming more diverse and tech-savvy, focused on self-care and wellbeing. It’s the perfect time to be in veterinary medicine because together, we are embracing change.

When clients face financial challenges, they might decline necessary treatments for their pets, which can present ethical and emotional burdens on the veterinary team. What can teams do to alleviate some of this stress?

Connecting with clients for whom spoken English isn’t their primary language is difficult—sometimes even perilous—due to miscommunication over diagnoses, treatment options, risks, and costs. But, taking even small steps to bridge the language gap can make a big difference.

The work environment has not always welcomed people’s expressions of their individuality, whether it is through clothes, tattoos, or piercings. But today, in veterinary medicine, a growing number of professionals are preferring surgical scrubs to white coats or business attire, and practices are welcoming (and even embracing) artistic body expressions in their employees.

As veterinary professionals, the loss of our own pets offers a deeper understanding of grief—and a chance for compassionate connection with clients.

Teamwork is the top driver of retention in veterinary practices. Good teams are crucial to a successful practice – but what exactly does it mean to be a “good team”?

Better communication leads to better care—but communicating clearly with clients can be challenging when you’re not only discussing medical issues the client may be unfamiliar with, but are trying to do so with a language barrier in the way.

Learn how employers and workers can create an effective workplace violence prevention plan—together

Gain innovative tools and resources you can immediately apply to improve your practice at AAHA’s Veterinary Management Institute (VMI), now a completely virtual five-month program.

Dealing with difficult clients is part of the veterinary world. But navigating these choppy waters can also be a chance to shine, personally and as a practice.

AI has many applications, including being an aid for SOAP notes. This article also includes a short roundup from several different software companies who are doing interesting things: Shepherd, Instinct, VetSOAP, and PetDesk.

Many people worry about their financial health and those in the veterinary community are not immune to that concern. Unfortunately, a person’s financial worries can be a significant cause of stress and that stress can affect wellbeing.

Most people are familiar with the famous line from the Apollo 13 mission, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” When there is a crisis, true professionals know how to respond. And vet med, like NASA, is filled with true professionals.

AAHA board member Robert Lawrie, MRCVS, weighs in on the advancements made possible by veterinary software and data capture. The AAHA Community asks how new vets can build confidence through online learning.  This month’s Scoop news headlines include: Penn Vet launches mRNA Research Initiative, Links Found Between Human, Canine Brain Tumors, VHMA Compensation and Benefits Survey Results Announced, Canine Respiratory Disease Cases Fall; and more!

Recordkeeping is a major challenge for most veterinary facilities with both the DEA and TITAN data indicating that ~96% of all practices will fail a DEA Inspection due to errors with recordkeeping.

With AAHA Advantage, you can purchase the products you need from the vendors you already trust at significant discounts and earn growth rebates.

According to AAHA’s research, one factor consistently comes up again and again in the conversation about staff turnover: fair compensation. It’s the top driver of attrition, and it’s also a key retention factor. This article offers expert tips for addressing the number one driver of turnover among veterinary professionals.

An exclusive benefit for AAHA-accredited practices, here, you’ll find resources for marketing your hospital and your AAHA accreditation, communicating with clients, and more.

Launching in 2024, the North American Association of Veterinary Receptionists (NAAVR) will provide CE for customer service representatives in many areas, including conflict resolution, great customer service, and hospitality.

It’s not all about the Benjamins, but a lack of fair compensation is the top driver of tech turnover. However, meeting the financial needs of this role might not be as big a stretch as you’d expect.

Nonmedical skills are fundamental to the health of a practice’s team.

In anticipation of Monday’s total solar eclipse, the big news for pet owners is that the eclipse likely won’t be any news at all to their pets.

The goal of a loyalty program is not just to increase transactions, but to deepen connections between your clients and your practice.

Need help writing great bios for your amazing team or posting a job description? Artificial intelligence can give you the drafts to start with—then you refine and add that human touch.

AAHA’s white paper “Stay, Please” has interactive ways to explore the nuances of who’s planning to leave veterinary practices and why. Associate DVMs and credentialed techs have the same top 6 retention and attrition factors. Can you guess what they are?

Do you know what keeps your happy employees happy and what’s driving the unhappy ones away? AAHA’s white paper “Stay, Please,” includes interactive graphics that break down the reasons people stay in vet med (retention) and why they leave (attrition).

How you increase employee retention might be practice-wide or it might focus on specific job roles where you see the highest turnover. AAHA’s “Stay, Please” white paper has the data to inform your next move, regardless of which strategy you choose.