We are living in a time of continuous disruption, turmoil and uncertainty. Many of the challenges we face are beyond our immediate control, but how we survey our veterinary practices and prepare for an uncertain future is something we do have control over. What we need is a plan to help us deal with our current staffing challenges and the demands of our clients to ensure the future viability of our practices. In other words, we need a strategy. What is a business strategy? We want to compete...

How do you handle tough cases and difficult situations in your clinic? Does everyone just vent to their colleagues when they need to or is there a safe space where team members can share their frustrations and traumatic experiences? Our Practice Playbook expert, Dr. Shona Kowtecky explains how to implement low-impact debriefing in your practice, so team members can learn how to properly share their stories with the right person, at the right time, and in the right way.

In 2019, Dr. Andy Roark sent out a survey that would shine a light on something that impacts all of us in the veterinary profession. It allowed him to test his theory that some of the darkest moments for a veterinary professional come at the end of a long, challenging shift. His survey garnered over 8,000 responses. When asked “if you were alone in your veterinary clinic and needed to access the controlled drugs, could you do so?”, 71% of respondents said they could access the controlled...

How is conflict handled or perceived in your clinic? Are there any subtle signs you are missing that could help you prevent or manage conflict within your team? Our Practice Playbook expert, Dr. Cyndie Courtney explains how to effectively address interpersonal conflict and what you can do to help avoid conflict in the first place, including policies you can implement to support your team's well-being and ensure optimal patient care.

Veterinary services are in high demand at a time when many practices are already stretched beyond their capacity, while simultaneously struggling with recruitment and general staffing challenges. For this reason, practices need to make sure they are optimizing their ability to reinvest in their business to support sustainable growth. While we are all finding recruitment to be an overwhelming challenge with no easy solutions, inventory management is something we are all capable of controlling....

Are you a leader? Do you have the power to lead? If not, do you know where it comes from and how to get it? The answer may surprise you! Our Practice Playbook expert, Senani Ratnayake from Vet Alliance/Globalvet shares her advice and key tips to help you better understand leadership mindset and what being a good leader is really about. This session isn't just for owners and managers. To truly inspire, you need to understand the behaviours and attitudes that will ultimately lead to success with...

Happy New Year veterinary industry! As we embark on yet another year of challenges and uncertainty—but also exciting opportunities—I am confident we will continue to draw upon our vast stores of resilience, while taking good care of ourselves and others. At the time of writing, with Covid cases currently on the rise in our various communities, there will be an ongoing need to be hyperfocused on our practices and teams. As we’ve already seen over the past 2 years, this can lead to feelings of...

Do you feel like you’re striking out with your existing or potential clients when it comes to marketing your clinic on social media? Do you feel like you’re in left field when you try to build your strategy plan? Our Practice Playbook expert, Cheyanne Flerx shares her advice to help you better understand social media and use it effectively to capture new clients, or even add new players to your team, by building up your practice through these communication tools. Time to hit the ball out of...

In today’s veterinary landscape, with so many increasing demands from pet ownership and care, navigating a global pandemic and a labour shortage of DVMs, engagement and retention has never been more important. It’s no secret – engaged team members deliver more to our patients and clients. Highly engaged team members have a positive impact on the team, creating a sense of community and an environment where everyone is working toward the same goal, which all contributes to a great place to...