Blogs

ALACHUA, FL– The Veterinary Hospital Management Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce the launch of the Mark Opperman Scholarship Award Program, intended to financially support veterinary management professionals aspiring to achieve the Certified Veterinary Practice Management (CVPM) credential, while honoring its former founder and visionary behind the certification. “We hope to continue Mark Opperman’s legacy by paving the way for more practice management professionals to attain the CVPM certification ,” said Christine Shupe, CAE, VHMA Executive Director. The award program will recognize one practice manager annually who will receive a cash reward ...
VHMA Insiders' Insights Commentary January 2025 Brittany Yost, CVPM, CVBL, CCFP Senior Manager, Customer Implementation and Engagement As we enter 2025, it's a great time to reflect on the trends, challenges, and opportunities that have shaped the veterinary industry over the past year. From slowing revenue growth to declines in patient visits, the data provides insights into the areas where practices need to focus their attention. Throughout the last year, we examined the Revenue, Patients, and Practice Health KPI metrics in depth each quarter. Now, let's take a step back and look at the broader picture to uncover the key takeaways. Revenue Insights ...
Perhaps I have been exposed to too much science news lately, but something about entering 2025 sounds futuristic. It got me thinking that maybe I needed to let go of some of my comforts, embrace change, and learn some new ways of doing things. For me, that is not as easy as it sounds. I have a high "S" personality, which stands for "Stable." Change is hard for me sometimes, and I resist it more than I should. This truth hit me during the holidays as I was getting decorations down from the attic and found a box of memories, AKA "old stuff." One of those heirlooms was an unused cassette tape still in its original packaging! Yes, I made mixtapes to listen to ...
The Veterinary Hospital Management Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Victoria Lattig and Kaitlyn Behling-Mikesell have been selected as its 2025 Emerging Leader Program Scholarship Award Winners. The VHMA Emerging Leaders Program is intended to create an opportunity for the next generation of veterinary management professionals to engage in meaningful ways that contribute to their professional growth and energize the association with new leaders and the future direction of the profession. The 2025 recipients were selected for their commitment to professional development and leadership. Meet the Emerging Leaders: Kaitlyn Behling-Mikesell, ...
Alachua, FL - The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that fifteen veterinary management professionals recently earned the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) credential. The VHMA's CVPM credential, which is voluntary, is recognized as a sign of professional achievement and excellence and is awarded to those who demonstrate the knowledge and experience necessary to manage the ever-changing operations of today's veterinary practices successfully. The class of November 2024 includes: Brooke Aicher Erik Amador Crystal Bear Justina Cutler Lauralee Dorst Scarlett Fox Diane Franklin Maggie Holcomb Becca Hollis Jennifer ...
As the president of VHMA, I don’t have a private plane or even a fancy office. My office is far from oval-shaped; it resembles the administrative center of the hospital, filled with supplies and equipment for which we don’t have a better storage location. But that’s alright because the holiday season is here… Like you, this month, we are ending a fiscal year and planning for the upcoming year simultaneously. It is my time to reflect on the highs and lows of 2024 and set realistic resolutions for myself and my team. One resolution has been inspired by a VHMA regional meeting I attended in the past featuring Josh Vaisman, author of Lead to Thrive (an excellent ...
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Veteos, a video production company specializing in creating video content for veterinary practices, has joined as a Gold Supporting Sponsor. Companies that offer products and services addressing the professional business needs of modern veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. As a veterinary-specific video production company, Veteos understands the unique challenges faced by practice managers and addresses them through tailored video messaging. Veteos films on-site at veterinary practices to create emotionally engaging videos ...
Planning the process, communicating it to others, timing the steps, and unforeseen drama. Despite what you think, I am referring to preparing Thanksgiving dinner with family, not a day at my veterinary hospital. But you were pretty close to being correct. The funny thing is, there are more similarities between managing a veterinary practice and preparing the annual feast than I had not realized until I took the lead on hosting Turkey Day last year. There were painful starts and stops, miscommunication, and recipes that did not turn out how they should. There were even slight personality clashes, but we all worked through it. When the fanfare had finally ...
In a veterinary practice, a positive culture is key for ensuring a supportive, productive, and compassionate environment. At the heart of fostering this culture are practice managers, who play a pivotal leadership role in shaping a clinic’s atmosphere and values. In the spirit of Practice Manager Recognition Week, let’s take a look at five ways Practice Managers contribute to creating a thriving culture: Leadership and Communication: Veterinary practice managers act as the bridge between the clinic's leadership and the staff. They set the tone for communication, ensuring transparency, openness, and mutual respect. By regularly checking in with team members, ...
The recognition week is a time to highlight and celebrate practice management professionals and their role within the veterinary settings they manage. It’s no coincidence that November symbolizes a month of gratitude. The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) extends its gratitude to its membership base of 5,000+ veterinary practice managers and designates Practice Manager Recognition Week (Nov 10-16) as an ideal time to highlight and celebrate the invaluable contributions practice managers bring to the veterinary hospitals they serve. In their leadership roles, practice managers are often the unsung heroes who empower veterinary medical providers ...
The recognition week is a time to highlight and celebrate practice management professionals and their role within the veterinary settings they manage. It’s no coincidence that November symbolizes a month of gratitude. The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) extends its gratitude to its membership base of 5,000+ veterinary practice managers and designates Practice Manager Recognition Week (Nov 10-16) as an ideal time to highlight and celebrate the invaluable contributions practice managers bring to the veterinary hospitals they serve. In their leadership roles, practice managers are often the unsung heroes who empower veterinary medical providers ...
ALACHUA, FL---Through a collaboration of Veterinary Management Groups (VMG), Zoetis, and the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), five veterinary professionals have received a scholarship to help them attain the highest level of certification a veterinary manager can achieve ---the Certified Veterinary Practice Management (CVPM) credential. CVPM certification, offered through the VHMA, qualifies candidates with the knowledge and experience necessary to successfully manage the ever-changing business management of today's veterinary practices. CVPM candidates must document their experience and knowledge and pass an examination. The 2024 VMG ...
Certification programs have gained significant popularity in recent years as individuals seek to enhance their skills, boost career prospects, and validate their expertise. While certifications can certainly be advantageous, it is essential to understand that not all certification programs are created equal. In this blog, we will delve into the reasons why certification programs should not be treated equally and why discernment is necessary when selecting the right program. What is a Certification Program? Before we get started, let’s discuss what a certification program is. A certification program is a structured program that validates and verifies an ...
Alachua, Fl. – The Veterinary Hospital Manager Association (VHMA) is pleased to share that the recipient of the 2024 President's Award is Patrick Keefe. This prestigious award celebrates members and supporters who have effected positive change and enhanced the association's standing. The award was announced at VHMA's “Racing Towards Success" Conference held in Charlotte, NC, in September. “This award is coming from the industry I know and love. I can't thank them enough for this incredible honor,” said Patrick Keefe, National Sales Manager of Veterinary Health at CareCredit. His career has spanned 22 years with CareCredit, with 16 of those years devoted ...
Leaders Who Put Others First Build Stronger Organizations for Everyone Let me tell you a quick story from early in my career when I was a camp counselor, just starting to develop some leadership skills. During our weekly campouts, we planned meals and then cooked them over a fire or grill. It soon became apparent that mealtime went more smoothly, and everyone had a better time when the campers ate first, before the counselors. Delaying our gratification until we had well-fed, literally “happy campers” benefited us counselors, too. I later developed this life lesson as a base behavior, putting others first until everyone is taken care of, or at least has ...
VHMA Insiders’ Insights Commentary October 2024 Brittany Yost, CVPM, CCFP Senior Manager, Customer Implementation and Engagement Insiders' Insights: Navigating the VHMA Key Performance Indicators Dashboard - Practice Health In today’s ever-evolving veterinary landscape, understanding client behavior is crucial for sustaining and growing your practice. This quarter, we’re going to take a look at KPIs that reflect the overall health of your practice. Active patient, lapsing patient, and new client count trends reveal significant shifts that merit our attention. As financial pressures continue to mount for many pet owners, coupled with the rising costs ...
When veterinary management professionals gathered for the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association's (VHMA) “Racing toward Success” Annual Conference last month in Charlotte, North Carolina, the NASCAR-themed gathering was already in high gear before its newest initiative was unveiled. Surrounded by a record attendance of 688 conference registrants, 200 of whom were Certified Veterinary Practice Managers (CVPM), VHMA President Scott Zimmerman, BFA, CVPM, announced VHMA's launch of a new certification program for veterinary management professionals: the Certified Veterinary Office Manager (CVOM). The CVOM program is intended to certify qualified management ...
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Vetcetera , which offers on-demand and live RACE-approved continuing education, has joined as a Platinum Supporting Sponsor. Companies that offer products and services addressing the professional business needs of modern veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. Vetcetera, developed by the creators of the industry's leading prep platforms, VetTechPrep and VetPrep, offers flexible access to over 200 hours of RACE-approved CE, and downloadable resources to support and educate veterinary professionals throughout their careers. Partnering ...
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Otto, an online platform specifically designed for the veterinary market to help clinics manage day-to-day operations, has joined as a Silver Supporting Sponsor. Companies that offer products and services addressing the professional business needs of modern veterinary practices are invited to participate in VHMA's sponsorship programs. Otto is an all-in-one customer engagement platform, tailored to the needs of the veterinary clinic, designed to streamline communications, improve clinic profitability, and elevate customer satisfaction. This platform leverages ...
Wow! What a great VHMA annual conference in Charlotte! It was wonderful to see so many managers in one place, sharing, learning, and racing around from session to session. Full disclosure: This blog is NOT the one I started three weeks ago. I had initially planned to share my thoughts leading up to the conference and my hopes and dreams of what it would mean for me as both a practice manager and VHMA's board president. As it turned out, a blog about what I hoped would happen was overshadowed by how fantastic the conference was. After all these years of attending VHMA meetings, I am still amazed by the smiling faces and old friends who make my job such ...