Blogs

Insiders' Insight KPI - August 2022

By VHMA Admin posted yesterday
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For the first time in over two years, revenue growth in July 2022 actually declined compared to July 2021. The number of workdays in July 2022, however, was one less than in July 2021 which may be at least one of the reasons why. Revenue per unique patient increased 6.1% in July 2022 compared to the same month in 2021, however, patient visit numbers declined significantly (8.9%), and this is what drove total revenue down in addition to the fewer number of workdays. As noted previously, it is very difficult to see a pattern in revenue and visit growth over the last year or so; growth figures bounce around a lot from month-to-month (see chart below.) The only ...
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Listen Up: It Could be Life-Changing

By Jessica Speas posted 3 days ago
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Listen closely. Did you hear it? It was that informal conversation that magically yielded a tidbit of transformative advice. Maybe it happened at a VHMA meeting breakout session or at the breakfast buffet that proceded it. Perhaps the pivotal chat happened when the conference day ended over a glass of wine. Regardless of where it occurred, advice was bestowed, and my advice to you can be summed up in three words: listen, consider, and grow. I speak from first-hand experience. I genuinely believe that none of us can or should claim victory as self-made individuals. Pathways toward success are formed by circumstances, opportunities, bits of luck, and random pieces ...
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VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, VIN Practice Communications

By VHMA Admin posted 30 days ago
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The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that VIN Practice Communications, provider of essential client communications and part of the VIN Family, has signed on as a Silver Supporting Sponsor. Qualifying companies offering products and services that address the professional business needs of today's veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. “VIN Practice Communications helps practices reach and engage their clients,” said Christine Shupe, CAE, VHMA executive director. “The company is run by veterinary professionals who understand what practices need. VHMA is very happy to welcome them as a Silver Supporting ...
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Remembering that Milestones Aren’t Finish Lines

By Jessica Speas posted 07-12-2022
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Like many veterinary management professionals, I am a goal-oriented person. Having a goal in front of me organizes my efforts, and achieving a goal, especially a big one, feels amazing! But at times in my past, that great post-achievement high has been followed by a bit of a let-down. My major motivator was gone, and the time I devoted to reaching the goal was suddenly free time I did not want to waste. Has this ever happened to you? I started thinking about this a lot as my 20th anniversary at my practice approached. I wanted to celebrate this milestone, reflect on the past two decades, and then feel motivated to accomplish more! But unfortunately, I’ve learned ...
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Insiders' Insight KPI - July 2022

By VHMA Admin posted 07-11-2022
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After a strong increase in revenue growth in May, growth in June 2022 was much lower.  The number of workdays in June 2022 was the same as in June 2021 so growth is less likely to have been influenced by the number of workdays and workhours between the two periods. Patient visit numbers actually declined; this implies that the revenue growth is either due to fee increases or pet owners electing a broader spectrum of care. (Note that data from an earlier 2022 Insiders’ Insights report indicated much larger fee increases in 2022 than in previous years which may be one of the reasons for the increased revenue growth.) It is very difficult to see a pattern in ...
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Open Books or Tailored Glimpses: Sharing the Right Information with Staff

By VHMA Admin posted 07-03-2022
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Money parades right into the front door of veterinary practices, but it tends to make an invisible exit. When it comes to your clinic’s finances, what your staff can’t see can hurt them and ultimately the business. “Everyone can see the money flowing in, but if you don’t tell them where the money goes and show how much is needed just to keep the practice going, they will make presumptions,” said Debbie Hill, CVPM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCFP, the administrator of four Florida animal hospitals. “Heaven help you if the owner gets a new truck – people will assume that’s where all of last week’s money went!” That’s where the open books concept fits in. If everyone knows ...
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VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, GlobalVetLink

By VHMA Admin posted 06-17-2022
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ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that GlobalVetLink, creators of a cloud-based platform that enables veterinary professionals to quickly create accurate, compliant animal health and movement documentation, has signed on as a Silver Supporting Sponsor. Qualifying companies offering products and services that address the professional business needs of today's veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. “GlobalVetLink makes it easier for veterinary professionals to create health certificates, prescriptions, feed directives, and even pet travel certificates that follow current compliance ...
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Insiders' Insight KPI - June 2022

By VHMA Admin posted 06-12-2022
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Shown below is the updated graphic we’ve been sharing each month; this includes the May 2022 VetSuccess revenue metrics shown on the Insiders’ Insights KPI dashboard (https://www.vhma.org/resources/insider-insights ) as well as placeholders for other related metrics that should also be reviewed regularly in order to get a full picture of what’s going on in a practice.  In order to put this in perspective, here is some of the same information for the last year showing the overall trends: Practice revenue growth was much stronger in May 2022 compared to the prior two months. The number of workdays in May 2022 was ...
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Thirty Veterinary Practice Managers Earn Prestigious CVPM Designation

By VHMA Admin posted 06-08-2022
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The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that eleven veterinary management professionals recently earned the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) credential. The VHMA’s CVPM credential, which is voluntary, is recognized as the sign of professional achievement and excellence and is awarded to those who demonstrate the knowledge and experience necessary to successfully manage the ever-changing operations of today's veterinary practices. The class of April 2022 includes: Valerie Blake LeAnne Charles Stephanie Coppersmith Kimberly Delaney Jamee DeSimone Jody Frazier Kristen Fuller Misha Hanewinckel Karen Hart Onya Hillhouse ...
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VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, Shepherd Veterinary Software

By VHMA Admin posted 06-03-2022
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ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that Shepherd Veterinary Software, an intuitive and robust cloud-based practice management software, has committed to the VHMA as a Silver Supporting Sponsor. Qualifying companies offering products and services that address the professional business needs of today's veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. "Shepherd was founded by practicing veterinarian Dr. Cindy Barnes," said Christine Shupe, CAE, VHMA executive director. "She understands our veterinary businesses and has created software designed to improve and streamline practice management. ...
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Don’t Drown in Data, Dance with It

By Jessica Speas posted 06-02-2022
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Data puts the facts in fact-based decisions, empowering us to make the right choices for our practices. But with the vast and growing amount of data available, data can also overpower us. I have certainly been a victim of analysis paralysis myself! So, what’s a veterinary practice manager to do? A little bit of reverse engineering can help. Start by asking yourself what you most need or want to know about your practice, determine which data sets will lead to those answers, and put your focus there. The key is choosing metrics aligned with the goals of the practice. And if those goals or needs shift, your data focus shifts, too. A Shift in My Focus For many ...
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A Manager, a Troll, and the Power of Mistakes

By Jessica Speas posted 05-14-2022
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There’s an image of a troll taped to the door of my basement office, or “The Cave,” as it’s known around the practice. On the surface, the troll and the place name are cute little jokes about my subterranean workspace. But the story of the troll goes much deeper than that. It is a reminder of a very difficult episode early in my career – one that put me on a path to improving how I deal with people. About a dozen years ago, when I was younger and greener, I received an expletive-filled message from a fake email address that I’m almost certain was created by an ex-employee. The email went on about what a terrible person I am – that I was a troll who belonged ...
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Insiders' Insight KPI - May 2022

By VHMA Admin posted 05-10-2022
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Shown below is the updated graphic we've been sharing each month; this includes the April 2022 VetSuccess revenue metrics shown on the Insiders' Insights KPI dashboard (https://www.vhma.org/resources/insider-insights) as well as placeholders for other related metrics that should also be reviewed regularly in order to get a complete picture of what's going on in a practice. In order to put this in perspective, here is some of the same information for the last year showing the overall trends: After strong growth in revenue in February 2022, practice growth, while still positive, was much less in March and April, although ...
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VHMA’s New “Workforce Issues” White Paper Addresses Critical Issues in Hiring and Retaining Personnel within the Veterinary Industry

By VHMA Admin posted 04-29-2022
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The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), the only professional association committed to solely supporting the distinct educational and resource needs of veterinary management professionals, has published a white paper that explores Workforce Issues in the veterinary industry. The white paper was created to help veterinary practice owners and managers address a poignant and timely human resource problem plaguing the industry: How can veterinary practices retain a skilled workforce? By leveraging the discussions, actions and recommendations developed during a December 2021 two-day Critical Issues Summit, the aptly titled White Paper “Workforce ...
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The Great Resignation just might be the perfect time to find new employees

By Jessica Speas posted 04-25-2022
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I think The Great Resignation just might be the perfect time to find new employees. No, really! Hear me out: The people leaving their current jobs haven’t been abducted by aliens. And most of them haven’t become bitcoin billionaires, either. They are still among us and, in large part, want to work. But they want meaningful work that better fits their lives. We can do that! I’m not saying it’s easy. If we, management professionals, take a fresh look at scheduling, job descriptions, and candidates, then effectively communicate what we offer; we can not only attract new talent, but we can also nurture and support our existing team members, so they reach their ...
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Insiders' Insight KPI - April 2022

By VHMA Admin posted 04-08-2022
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Shown below is the updated graphic we’ve been sharing each month; this includes the March 2022 VetSuccess revenue metrics shown on the Insiders’ Insights KPI dashboard (https://www.vhma.org/resources/insider-insights) as well as placeholders for other related metrics that should also be reviewed regularly in order to get a full picture of what’s going on in a practice. In order to put this in perspective, here is some of the same information for the last year showing the overall trends: After strong growth in revenue in February 2022, practice growth, while still positive, was much less in 2022. Patient visit numbers ...
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You owe it to your employees and clients to have a plan for emergencies

By VHMA Admin posted 04-08-2022
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If we’ve learned one lesson over the past year, it is that there is no such thing as being too prepared. When the pandemic hit, many practices scrambled to adjust their operations while keeping staff, patients, and clients safe. Although regulatory and government agencies can promulgate rules and regulations and issue directives during emergencies, businesses that rely on outside agencies to dictate their response can end up struggling to bring the business and employees up to speed. Companies that are proactive about planning for emergencies---from severe weather to civil unrest---are positioned to respond quickly and effectively. You can’t choose your emergency ...
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VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, Nordhealth

By VHMA Admin posted 04-01-2022
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ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that Nordhealth, the international healthcare software provider behind the Provet Cloud practice management solution, has signed on as a Gold Supporting Sponsor. Qualifying companies offering products and services that address the professional business needs of today's veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. “Provet Cloud, by Nordhealth, makes it easier for veterinary management professionals to organize client and patient information, schedule appointments, send client reminders, invoice and more,” said Christine Shupe, CAE, VHMA executive director. ...
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Begin Again

By Jessica Speas posted 03-19-2022
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Would you like to join me in treating April 1, the start of the second quarter, like it’s the start of a new year? For me – and it seems like for many of you, too – January didn’t seem all that different from a long blur of months that came before it. I was again sidetracked working in the business, not on the business. I was still scrambling to clean up and keep up! But now it’s March. The Virus Thing’s numbers are all going in the right direction, and bits of normalcy has come back to our lives. The weather is changing; the light is changing and soon will linger longer. Before long, the kids will be out of school. Spring is the season of renewal and new ...
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VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

By VHMA Admin posted 03-10-2022
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ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the leading advocacy and professional association for veterinarians, has signed on as a Silver Supporting Sponsor. Qualifying organizations and companies offering products and services that address the professional business needs of today's veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. "From providing educational opportunities and resources for veterinarians to advocating for the entire veterinary profession, the work of AVMA has had a significant, positive impact on not only its members but our ...
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