Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
Veterinary Practice Management provides all the practical tips for managing and improving the financial performance of a veterinary practice. Mandatory reading for all owners and veterinary practice managers, it also proves indispensable for commercial veterinary companies and independent outlets alike as well as for all members of the veterinary practice team and representatives who visit veterinary practice managers.
- Helps the new manager whether from a veterinary background or elsewhere
- Includes issues around staff recruitment and training, recommending specific pet insurance to clients, new RCVS standards, RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and Medicines Regulations
- Contains new information on energy and environmental waste management both essential to modern practices
- Relates theory to practice through practical advice and top tips
- Provides essential reading for all those taking practice management examinations or continuing professional development courses
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Cover | Cover | ||
| Veterinary Practice Management: A Practical Guide | iii | ||
| Copyright Page | iv | ||
| Table of Contents | v | ||
| Preface | ix | ||
| Abbreviations | xi | ||
| Chapter 1. Veterinary Practice – How and Why it is Changing | 1 | ||
| THE TYPES OF VETERINARY PRACTICE | 1 | ||
| OWNERSHIP | 4 | ||
| THE SERVICES | 5 | ||
| THE VETERINARY STAFF | 6 | ||
| EXTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING CHANGE | 7 | ||
| INTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING CHANGE | 9 | ||
| Chapter 2. The Management of Veterinary Practices | 13 | ||
| MANAGEMENT OF PRACTICES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY | 13 | ||
| THE VETERINARY PRACTICE AS A BUSINESS | 14 | ||
| MANAGEMENT OF PRACTICES IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY | 15 | ||
| Chapter 3. What is a Veterinary Practice Manager? | 19 | ||
| WHAT IS A VETERINARY PRACTICE MANAGER AND WHAT DO THEY DO? | 19 | ||
| WHERE DO PRACTICE MANAGERS COME FROM? | 22 | ||
| RESISTANCE TO EMPLOYING MANAGERS | 22 | ||
| WHO IS DOING THE MANAGING NOW? | 23 | ||
| DOES YOUR VETERINARY PRACTICE NEED A PRACTICE MANAGER? | 25 | ||
| THE PITFALLS | 26 | ||
| THE CHANGING MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE | 26 | ||
| THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE PRACTICE MANAGER | 27 | ||
| WELL, WHO SHOULD DO THE MANAGING? | 27 | ||
| Chapter 4. Moving into Management – What Makes a Good Manager? | 29 | ||
| THE NEWLY APPOINTED MANAGER | 29 | ||
| THE QUALITIES OF A MANAGER | 30 | ||
| Chapter 5. Managing Yourself | 33 | ||
| MANAGING YOUR JOB | 33 | ||
| MANAGING YOUR TIME | 35 | ||
| YOURSELF | 42 | ||
| Chapter 6. Business Planning | 45 | ||
| WHERE ARE WE NOW? | 45 | ||
| WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? | 49 | ||
| Chapter 7. Managing Human Resources – The Importance of Staff, Recruitment and Discipline | 53 | ||
| WHY ARE STAFF IMPORTANT? | 53 | ||
| WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM YOUR STAFF? | 54 | ||
| WHAT DO YOUR STAFF WANT FROM YOU? | 55 | ||
| RECRUITMENT | 56 | ||
| DISCIPLINE | 66 | ||
| Chapter 8. Principles of Employment Law | 71 | ||
| DISCRIMINATION | 71 | ||
| WORK AND FAMILIES | 73 | ||
| MATERNITY RIGHTS | 73 | ||
| PATERNITY LEAVE AND ADDITIONAL PATERNITY LEAVE | 73 | ||
| TIME OFF FOR DEPENDANTS | 74 | ||
| PART-TIME WORK | 74 | ||
| FLEXIBLE WORKING | 74 | ||
| HUMAN RIGHTS | 74 | ||
| NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE | 74 | ||
| WORKING TIME REGULATIONS | 75 | ||
| REDUNDANCY | 75 | ||
| DISMISSAL | 75 | ||
| Chapter 9. Human Resources – Teamwork, Communication and Managing Change | 77 | ||
| TEAMWORK | 77 | ||
| COMMUNICATION | 80 | ||
| MANAGING CHANGE | 84 | ||
| Chapter 10. Human Resources – Training and Appraisals | 87 | ||
| TRAINING | 87 | ||
| APPRAISALS | 96 | ||
| Chapter 11. Client Care | 103 | ||
| WHAT DOES THE CLIENT WANT? | 103 | ||
| HOW TO PROVIDE GOOD CLIENT CARE | 104 | ||
| MEASURING AND MAINTAINING CLIENT CARE | 106 | ||
| DEALING WITH CLIENT COMPLAINTS | 108 | ||
| DEALING WITH DIFFICULT CLIENTS | 109 | ||
| COMPLIANCE | 109 | ||
| EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE | 111 | ||
| Chapter 12. Sales and Marketing | 113 | ||
| WHAT IS SALES AND MARKETING, AND WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? | 113 | ||
| WHY DO WE NEED IT? | 114 | ||
| GENERAL MARKETING PRINCIPLES | 115 | ||
| THE MARKETING PLAN | 117 | ||
| MARKETING OF PRODUCTS | 119 | ||
| MARKETING SERVICES | 120 | ||
| MARKETING THE PRACTICE | 121 | ||
| MARKETING TOOLS | 122 | ||
| Chapter 13. Understanding Financial Accounts | 127 | ||
| WHY HAVE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS? | 127 | ||
| ACCOUNTING BASICS | 128 | ||
| WHAT IS A PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT? | 128 | ||
| WHAT IS A BALANCE SHEET? | 130 | ||
| INTERPRETING FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS | 132 | ||
| Chapter 14. Management Accounts and Financial Planning | 137 | ||
| MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS | 137 | ||
| FIGURES DERIVED FROM THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS | 138 | ||
| FIGURES DERIVED FROM INCOME ANALYSIS | 139 | ||
| OTHER FIGURES | 140 | ||
| PRODUCING MANAGEMENT REPORTS | 140 | ||
| FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT | 141 | ||
| BUDGETING FOR PROFIT – WILL WE MAKE ANY MONEY? | 141 | ||
| BUDGETING FOR CASH – CAN WE STAY AFLOAT? | 143 | ||
| BUDGETING FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES – CAN WE AFFORD TO BUY? | 144 | ||
| Chapter 15. Stock Management | 149 | ||
| WHERE ARE YOU NOW? | 150 | ||
| WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE? | 151 | ||
| HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE? | 151 | ||
| LEGISLATION AND STOCK CONTROL | 156 | ||
| Chapter 16. Pricing of Fees and Products | 157 | ||
| SHOPPED AND NON-SHOPPED ITEMS | 158 | ||
| VALUE FOR MONEY | 158 | ||
| PRICING OF PRODUCTS | 158 | ||
| DISPENSING AND INJECTION FEES | 160 | ||
| FEE SETTING | 161 | ||
| EFFECTS OF CHANGING SELLING PRICE | 165 | ||
| DISCOUNTS | 165 | ||
| SURCHARGES | 167 | ||
| PROBLEMS ARISING FROM PRICES | 167 | ||
| Chapter 17. Information Technology | 169 | ||
| WHAT COMPUTERS CAN DO | 169 | ||
| WHAT COMPUTERS CANNOT DO | 170 | ||
| THE USE OF COMPUTERS IN VETERINARY PRACTICE | 170 | ||
| CHOOSING AND EVALUATING A SYSTEM | 174 | ||
| CONTINGENCIES | 177 | ||
| ASSOCIATED LEGISLATION | 180 | ||
| Chapter 18. Office Management | 181 | ||
| RECORD KEEPING | 181 | ||
| CREDIT CONTROL | 183 | ||
| OFFICE EQUIPMENT | 186 | ||
| TELECOMMUNICATIONS | 186 | ||
| MONITORING OF STAFF | 187 | ||
| Chapter 19. Premises Management | 189 | ||
| BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE WORK | 189 | ||
| SECURITY | 190 | ||
| UTILITIES MANAGEMENT | 191 | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT | 193 | ||
| Chapter 20. Health and Safety | 195 | ||
| WHY BE CONCERNED WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY? | 195 | ||
| HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION | 195 | ||
| ENFORCING BODIES | 196 | ||
| GETTING TO GRIPS WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY | 196 | ||
| RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY | 197 | ||
| THE PRACTICE HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY | 197 | ||
| RISK ASSESSMENTS | 198 | ||
| CONTROL OF SUBSTANCES HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH (COSHH) | 203 | ||
| STAFF TRAINING | 205 | ||
| Chapter 21. Pharmacy and Dispensing | 207 | ||
| DRUG STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT | 208 | ||
| HEALTH AND SAFETY | 210 | ||
| DISPENSING | 210 | ||
| Chapter 22. Statutory and Ethical Aspects of Practice | 215 | ||
| INSURANCES AND PENSIONS | 215 | ||
| TAXES | 217 | ||
| BUSINESS STRUCTURE | 218 | ||
| PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | 219 | ||
| BUSINESS ETHICS | 220 | ||
| Chapter 23. The Future of Practice Management | 223 | ||
| MANAGEMENT TRAINING | 223 | ||
| MANAGEMENT ROLES | 224 | ||
| THE EFFECTIVE USE OF STAFF | 224 | ||
| ADAPTATION TO CHANGE | 224 | ||
| SPECIALIZATION | 225 | ||
| DIVERSIFICATION | 225 | ||
| GROUPS AND CORPORATE PRACTICES | 225 | ||
| VN REGULATION | 225 | ||
| OUT-OF-HOURS AND EMERGENCY CLINICS | 225 | ||
| LARGE-ANIMAL VETERINARY PRACTICE | 225 | ||
| CLINICAL AUDIT AND PRACTICE STANDARDS | 225 | ||
| MRSA | 226 | ||
| DRUG DISPENSING AND INTERNET PHARMACIES | 226 | ||
| THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF | 226 | ||
| REVIEWING AND REVISING PRACTICE POLICY AND PROCEDURE | 226 | ||
| STRATEGIC PLANNING | 226 | ||
| Appendix: Useful Contacts | 227 | ||
| Index | 229 |