Blogs

VHMA Insiders’ Insights KPI Quarterly Commentary - July 2024

By VHMA Admin posted 14 days ago
VHMA Insiders’ Insights Commentary July 2024 Brittany Yost, CVPM, CCFP Senior Manager, Customer Implementation and Engagement, Vetsource Insiders' Insights: Navigating the VHMA Key Performance Indicators Dashboard - Patients As Quarter 2 comes to a close, let’s continue our series exploring the VHMA Insiders’ Insights Key Performance Indicators (KPI) dashboard. Last quarter, we explored the Revenue Dashboard and looked at effective strategies to boost your practice’s financial performance. Next, we’re shifting our focus to the Patients Dashboard. This essential tool provides insights into patient visit data and the composition of your client base. By examining ...

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of VHMA Volunteer Happiness

By Scott Zimmerman posted 17 days ago
Most of us were born after President John F. Kennedy's famous speech, which called for people to step up and do more. His exact words were, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Noble advice, especially when contemplated during the month we celebrate liberty and independence. So, it seems this would be a good time for you to contemplate this same question within a VHMA framework: What can YOU do for VHMA? I know it's a stretch, but I think the idea of supporting something bigger than yourself is one that we can use in each of our lives. How might you do that within VHMA? Let me answer in one word: VOLUNTEER by ...

VHMA Announces 2024 Practice Manager of the Year: Joshua Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP

By VHMA Admin posted 24 days ago
ALACHUA, FL – Joshua “Josh” Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP, stands out as a practice manager committed to empowering other veterinary professionals. Through his efforts, he has cleared away substantial hurdles for veterinary technicians in Vermont, resulting in his selection as the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association’s (VHMA) 2024 Practice Manager of the Year (PMOY). VHMA’s annual PMOY Award recognizes a practice manager who has used their knowledge, experience, and expertise to transform their practice and improve business operations. Blakemore’s efforts have not only resulted in a better workplace for staff and improved care for pets, but they have been ...

VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, Relief Services for Veterinary Practitioners (RSVP)

By VHMA Admin posted 06-20-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced Relief Services for Veterinary Practitioners (RSVP), a company dedicated to matching veterinary hospitals and practices with temporary veterinary technicians or doctors, 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. As an organization, RSVP has a deep understanding of people planning and people coordination. Whether it is meeting the needs of a doctor to fill in so someone can take a vacation, or ...

The Cult of Personalities: Leveraging Behavior Styles within Your Team

By Scott Zimmerman posted 06-07-2024
We have people around us who make us better and worse human beings. This is as true with family members as with practice team members. There are people we love to be around, people we can hardly tolerate, and people we are drawn to because – to be frank – they remind us of ourselves. As leaders within our practice, we need to find ways to understand what makes different people tick and to appreciate and leverage the differences. I must be honest; it is no easy task. I realized that recently during a family wedding, when folks were chatting about family history and past family conflicts and drama. It occurred to me that work-team dynamics shift and ...

Shinning a Spotlight on Manager Utilization

By VHMA Admin posted 06-04-2024
Many practice-owner veterinarians still prefer to actively manage their business, as opposed to leveraging a practice manager or hospital administrator to do the heavy lifting while they provide oversight. While it is understandable that it can be difficult to relinquish some or all control of a practice, there are downsides to not doing so. It is now accepted as best practice that a veterinarian’s time should be primarily spent doing skills only, they can do, tasks that generate the most revenue that only their license qualifies them to do. When a veterinarian is pulled away to manage any other task a differently qualified person can manage for less cost you ...

VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, TopStitch Scrubs

By VHMA Admin posted 05-03-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that TopStitch Scrubs, a software company that provides tech-enabled services to manage uniform programs efficiently and effectively for veterinary hospitals and clinics, 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. TopStitch Scrubs’ custom websites handle all aspects of uniform programs, relieving the burden from veterinary practice managers. The service automates the uniform program using a streamlined ...

Why “Me Time” Requires a TEAM

By Scott Zimmerman posted 05-02-2024
Can you believe spring is here and summer is right around the corner? Last month, we were just kicking off the baseball season, and I shared that – at the beginning of the season - anything is possible. One month in, the Cubs are in first place, and I am planning for a great season! Thanks to Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and graduations, I am also preparing for a busy May. I know the year is “racing” by because we are already deep in the planning for this year’s VHMA Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 5-7th. Yes, I am making reference to our theme for this year's conference, “Racing Towards Success!” (Nice segue, right?) I’m ...

Twenty-eight Veterinary Practice Managers Earn Prestigious CVPM Designation

By VHMA Admin posted 04-25-2024
Alachua, FL - The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that twenty-eight 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 April 2024 includes: Sara Aho Michelle Lynn Beck Gail Bigelow Shantell Bogedain Crish Bowles Lauri Brown Jordanne Day Shirley Devera-Caldwell Kathy Diesen ...

VHMA Insiders’ Insights KPI Quarterly Commentary - April 2024

By VHMA Admin posted 04-10-2024
VHMA Insiders’ Insights Commentary April 2024 Brittany Yost, CVPM, CCFP Success Team Manager, Vetsource Insiders’ Insights: Navigating the VHMA Key Performance Indicators Dashboard - Revenue As we embark on a new quarter filled with opportunities for reflection and growth, I’m excited to introduce a series dedicated to dissecting the insights uncovered from the VHMA Insiders’ Insights Key Performance Indicators (KPI) dashboard. Each quarter, we'll explore a different aspect, starting with a deep dive into the revenue dashboard. Understanding the Change in Revenue and Change in Revenue per Patient Year-over-Year Charts Let's start by breaking down ...

Hitting a Home Run: What Baseball Has Taught Me about Practice Management

By Scott Zimmerman posted 04-03-2024
I have always drawn my inspiration from the spring sports season. This year is no exception. As we start April, we are in a very competitive time for any of you sports fans out there. March Madness is just about behind us, and baseball just had its Opening Day. So, as I watch sports, though I am not a betting person, I am fascinated by the numbers in the games. As I write this blog, we have a team with two wins and two losses, thus putting them at a .500 winning percentage (Go Cubs)! Then you think that the baseball season is 160+ games, and the first week of a long season is just beginning. By now, I know you are wondering where I am going with this… ...

VHMA Welcomes Platinum Supporting Sponsor, All Pet Card

By VHMA Admin posted 03-28-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that All Pet Card , a credit card company exclusive to the veterinary industry, has signed on as a Platinum 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. All Pet Card’s credit card offers a financial solution to the cost barriers that pet owners face when seeking routine or emergency care for their pets. With the All Pet Card, pet owners can get the care and supplies their pets need immediately while enjoying ...

Leap Years, Planets and Practice Management

By Scott Zimmerman posted 03-08-2024
If you often feel like you run circles around your practice to make up for lost time, you can find comfort in the fact that Planet Earth does too. In fact, the Earth circles the sun every 365.24 days, but we count each year as 365 days. In order to make that up, we have to add an extra day to the calendar every four years – February 29. Without a leap year, we would gradually start to see our days -- and eventually years -- fall short. That extra day might feel like a fleeting gift since you were so busy at your practice that you hardly realized you had it. I know that was the case for me. Keeping balls in orbit seems to be commonplacee, and I try extremely ...

Maintaining an Even Keel on the Water and at Work

By Scott Zimmerman posted 02-12-2024
Four months into my term as President and time is flying. So far, I have met a lot of members and had the opportunity to represent VHMA at several industry meetings. VHMA’s Management Exchange is on my February calendar and I couldn’t be more pleased. Getting to meet and learn more about our members encourages me to share something about myself that you may have noticed, I strive to maintain an even keel. This fact extends through all facets of my life. Sailing is my passion, and I am the proud owner of a Thistle sailboat. In the sailing world, “maintaining an even keel” means ensuring that the draft of the vessel fore and aft are equal. In other words: ...

VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, Purina® Pro Plan® Veterinary Diets

By VHMA Admin posted 02-01-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced that Purina® Pro Plan® Veterinary Diets 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. Pro Plan Veterinary Diets offers advanced therapeutic nutrition for the pets who need it. Each diet is precisely formulated for the nutritional management of pets with certain health conditions, used under the direction of a licensed veterinarian, and backed by a global team of scientists including ...

Trust: A Barrier to Efficiency?

By VHMA Admin posted 01-24-2024
The business of veterinary medicine is rapidly evolving with a concerted push for improved efficiency. The industry’s recent focus on efficiency has identified the practice’s most significant, yet underutilized resource, the credentialed veterinary technician (CVT). Widespread underutilization of CVTs is leading to interconnected problems that include financial losses, staff retention issues, and poor customer service. When we look at the root causes of the underutilization issue, we find that one significant factor appears to be a lack of trust between veterinarians and CVTs. While CVTs are trained to perform a broad range of tasks, many veterinarians are ...

Insiders' Insight KPI - January 2024

By VHMA Admin posted 01-12-2024
Growth in revenue, patient visits, and new client numbers declined in December 2023 compared to December 2022. (Note, however, that December 2023 had one less workday compared to December 2022 so this decline may not be due to true changes in practice operations or client demand.) As we head into 2024, planning for improvement in the New Year continues to be important. Last month we talked about preparing or updating the practice’s budget; this month is a good time for practices to either start or continue to analyze their 2023 data, both by tracking internal trends and comparing the practice to published comparative data. Unfortunately, ...

Esteban Sotomayor and Rebecca May Named 2024 VHMA Emerging Leaders Program Recipients

By VHMA Admin posted 01-04-2024
ALACHUA, FL– The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Esteban Sotomayor and Rebecca May have been selected as its 2024 Emerging Leadership 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 the association in meaningful ways that contribute to their professional growth and energize the association with new leaders and the future direction of the profession. The 2024 recipients were selected for their commitment to professional growth and leadership. Meet the Emerging Leaders Esteban ...

Happy New Year, a Time to Reflect, Refresh and Renew

By Scott Zimmerman posted 01-04-2024
I have never been one to make New Year’s Resolutions. However, as I start this new year, I am looking forward to a fresh start and looking at things with a new vision based on my new reality. For me personally, I start by looking back at what has been in 2023. In a nutshell, it has been a year of ups and downs. Reflecting on the Ups The ups, without a doubt, have been the excitement of the VHMA annual conference (our largest one yet!) and the honor of assuming my new role as president of VHMA. It was invigorating to interact with managers from just about everywhere (as the “Connect & Collaborate” map displayed at the conference confirmed). It was also ...