Blogs

What Is in It for Me? A Stronger Team!

By Scott Zimmerman posted 18 hours ago
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 KPI Quarterly Commentary - October 2024

By VHMA Admin posted 3 days ago
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 ...

VHMA Announces New Certification Program for Veterinary Management Professionals – the CVOM – at its Annual Conference

By VHMA Admin posted 4 days ago
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 ...

VHMA Welcomes Platinum Supporting Sponsor, Vetcetera

By VHMA Admin posted 5 days ago
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 ...

VHMA Welcomes Silver Supporting Sponsor, Otto

By VHMA Admin posted 19 days ago
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 ...

High-Speed Happenings at VHMA's 2024 Annual Conference

By Scott Zimmerman posted 26 days ago
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 ...

VHMA Partners with Penn Foster, Announces New Membership Benefit

By VHMA Admin posted 08-29-2024
ALACHUA, FL– Veterinary Hospital Management Association (VHMA) and Penn Foster College announce a new collaboration that paves the way for members to develop critical veterinary health and management skills at a reduced cost. Penn Foster College is part of Penn Foster Group, a leading provider of digital and data-driven learning solutions for high-demand skills and jobs, offers online education and training solutions in a self-paced environment, including veterinary training programs. As an association benefit, VHMA members are now eligible to enroll in any Penn Foster College’s veterinary programs and receive a 10% discount, including: Veterinary Technician ...

Veterinary Practice Managers Earn Prestigious CVPM Designation

By VHMA Admin posted 08-29-2024
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 August 2024 includes: Kristy Ballwanz Becca Bebar Angela Bucher Cody Czer-Ransom Megan Danner Angelina DeLapp Heather Finch Jessica Lawyer Tara Manning ...

VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, Digitail

By VHMA Admin posted 08-21-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Digitail, an all-in-one software for veterinary clinics, 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. The first cloud-based Practice Information Management Software (PIMS) with native AI capabilities, Digitail consolidates multiple tools into a single solution. The platform includes a native AI Assistant and Pet Parent App, modern client communication tools, integrated payment processing, and advanced ...

VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, Weave

By VHMA Admin posted 08-12-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) is pleased to announce that Weave, a world-class phone system with a suite of powerful growth tools, 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. Weave provides an all-in-one platform designed to meet a business's communication needs, both internal and external. It addresses key pain points by offering features such as two-way texting, text-to-pay, appointment reminders, scheduling confirmations, fax capabilities, and more. ...

Practice Managers Belong on Olympic Teams!

By Scott Zimmerman posted 08-08-2024
As I have been watching the Olympics, I've had a revelation: running an animal hospital is not that dissimilar to competing in or coaching an Olympic sport. Think about it… For most of us, it is the love of the game that keeps us going, honing our skills, and sharpening our edge. I know by now you are saying to yourself, “Oh boy, Scott is going to write another sport-related blog!” But after reading this one, I suspect you will agree. We Strive for Speed AND Endurance Daily Olympic sports typically fall into two categories – speed or endurance. I think we can all identify areas of our days that fit into those categories as well. Tasks like payroll and ...

VHMA Welcomes Gold Supporting Sponsor, Computer Solutions

By VHMA Admin posted 08-05-2024
ALACHUA, FL – The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) announced Computer Solutions, an information technology (IT) company that specializes in and supports hundreds of veterinary facilities around the U.S., 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. Veterinary hospitals rely on essential systems such as payment processing, specialized medical equipment, and patient information management software (PIMS). Computer Solutions’ expertise spans all these technologies, ...

VHMA Insiders’ Insights KPI Quarterly Commentary - July 2024

By VHMA Admin posted 07-12-2024
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 07-09-2024
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 07-02-2024
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 ...