What do Toys “R” Us, Sports Authority and Blockbuster have in common? They are three respected brands that failed because they didn’t generate the profits necessary to stay in business. In fact, companies of all shapes and sizes fail. There were over 20,000 bankruptcies last year and 60% of new businesses fail within five years. Although corporations may prioritize profits more than a veterinary practice, maintaining an appropriate bottom line provides one of the greatest benefits, the ability to build an organization that represents their ideals and objectives. Although many veterinarians may consider caring for animals their top priority, a reasonable level of profits should rank high on the list. Here’s how veterinary practices can increase profitability and drive growth.

Although we all want our pets to live longer, we don’t want them to get old. Happily, in the last four decades, their life span has doubled. Unfortunately, as our furry friends live longer, it also increases the possibility that they contract a serious illness. In fact, nearly half of both dogs and cats over the age of 10 develop cancer. And as author Andrea Laurent-Simpson explores in her book, Just Like Family, almost 95 percent of adults who share their homes with dogs and cats treat their animal companions as legitimate members of their families. So when a pet contracts a serious illness like cancer, just like a human, the family pulls out all the stops to ensure a return to good health. But as cancer cases increase, so does the use of the hazardous drugs in veterinary medicine to treat those patients. USP developed guidelines to help ensure the safe handling of these drugs to minimize the risk of exposure. Take these steps to manage USP <800> in your veterinary practice and ensure the safety of your staff, patients and the environment.

Digital processes dominate most businesses and that’s certainly true in veterinary practices. For example, software that manages patient records, tracks inventory, triggers invoices and more, can elevate patient care and save time. But, improving the patient experience and increasing productivity isn’t exclusive to digital solutions. Some manual processes are still essential to your operation. And to illustrate, here are 5 labels every veterinary practice needs to deliver effective patient care.

How many errors do you make each day? Research suggests that regardless of the activity or task being conducted, humans make between 3-6 errors per hour! And even though that number is likely lower in settings like a veterinary practice, where excellence is emphasized, mistakes happen. It’s impossible not to look back at certain actions, diagnoses or decisions and wish they were different. But within the group of total errors that do occur, while some are impossible to prevent, others are preventable. And medication errors often fall into the preventable category. It takes effective protocols and processes to approach medication safety perfection. This post details common errors, why they happen, what to do if one does occur and concludes with 6 ways to reduce veterinary medication errors in your practice.

For most of the 67% of U.S. households or nearly 85 million families that have pets, their health is a high priority. And beyond regular check-ups, vaccines and medications that treat the common ailments their pet may confront, pet care often includes managing chronic conditions like arthritis and gum disease, especially with life spans increasing. This combination of factors contribute to the amount of medications pet owners purchase each year. In fact, in a 2019 survey among dog and cat owners who had taken their pet to the veterinarian in the past 12 months, 78% of dog owners and 62% of cat owners purchased pet medications. In addition, over 60% spent more than $100. Unfortunately, as the amount of medications dispensed increases, so do medication errors. This makes effective communication, starting with the veterinary prescription labels, even more important.

Communication is at the heart of providing high-quality medical care for pets at any practice. Plus, with COVID-19 safety concerns changing office workflows, it is essential to protecting your staff and clients. And although verbal communications are typically the most effective, that’s not always possible. So when it isn’t, veterinary labels can enhance your guidance. Here’s how they improve your ability to communicate with clients, their pets and your staff.

It takes a variety of supplies to run your practice. And although drugs, medical supplies and animal food top the list of expenditures, they aren’t the only essential items. In fact, it’s impossible to execute vital tasks like medication dispensing and hazardous material identification without veterinary labels. They may not get the same scrutiny as the higher expenditure categories but when managed effectively there are steps you can take to impact costs and ensure effective patient care. Here are 10 facts about veterinary labels that may change your opinion about their importance.

It’s estimated that half of all dogs and cats that are patients of a veterinary practice today need some level of dental care. In fact, Banfield Pet Hospital’s “2016 State of Pet Health Report” estimated that periodontal disease could be found in 76 percent of dogs and 68 percent of cats. Further, fractured teeth in dogs and tooth resorption in cats are extremely common dental issues. With these canine and feline issues, it’s no wonder that veterinarians are choosing to add dental services to their practice portfolio.

Have you ever come home from a trip to the grocery store only to discover you purchased the wrong item? Adding insult to injury, it’s one of those staples that you rarely run out of and you purchased dozens of times before - from the same store. But, as you pull it out of your shopping bag you realize it’s not the product you wanted. Maybe the packaging or the name was similar to the item you normally buy and, after a quick glance, you grabbed it and threw it in the cart.

From scheduling appointments, greeting patients and assisting them after an exam, keeping the veterinary practice organized requires the front office to juggle many responsibilities. For example,