News from Veterinary Business Advisors, Inc

January 2013

Phone (908) 782-4426 - [email protected]

Preventative Medicine for Combating Communication Diseases in a Veterinary Practice Part I

One of the associate veterinarians in your practice is upset with the inability of a technician to perform her job functions effectively. The associate comes to you, as the practice owner, to express her frustrations and demand that the technician be fired. Throughout the exchange, the associate continues to raise her voice and catalog each and every shortcoming of the technician.

You're in a bind. If you fire the technician, the practice will be understaffed, but you don't want ongoing disharmony between staff members. So, how do you handle this situation in a way that keeps communication open and alleviates friction within the staff? Additionally, how can you diagnose potential communication issues and immunize your practice against future communication eruptions?

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Will Your Medical Records Protect You?

With a growing number of veterinary practices going "paperless", electronic medical records (EMRs) have started replacing the more traditional paper-based patient files. Given the nature of our litigious society and the increasing number of consumers filing complaints with State Veterinary Boards, veterinarians cannot assume that an electronic medical record will be accepted by their State Board. While some states currently make no distinction between written and computerized medical records, others require that certain safeguards be taken to ensure their authenticity. The goal of this article is to raise awareness of the aforementioned issues, and to provide veterinarians with recommendations on how they can protect themselves, while still enjoying the benefits of paperless technology.

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VBA Welcomes Extern Nicola Painter!

Nicola Painter is currently in her third year of veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. Nicola received her BA in International Relations from Brown University and comes to us with a background in the financial and legal sectors. Following graduation, she joined the London-based Foreign Exchange Sales and Trading Desk of Scandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB). Nicola then worked in Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Litigation at Shearman & Sterling, LLC, based in New York City, sparking her interest in law.

Her love of animals and interest in medicine ultimately led her to pursue a veterinary degree, and Nicola completed a post-baccalaureate program in pre-health at the University of Pennsylvania before applying to UPENN's vet school. Nicola is a member of student government, serving as the Academic Liaison for her class, and is a member of the VBMA certificate program. Nicola has a strong commitment to advocacy work. She assisted Penn Vet's efforts to lobby state legislators to safeguard funding for the vet school and participated in the AVMA's initiatives to lobby Congress on issues of importance to the veterinary profession, such as the Fairness to Pet Owners Act.

Nicola is interested in practice management/ownership, consulting, and veterinary law and is currently considering a law degree following her veterinary studies. Nicola hopes to pursue a career in veterinary medicine that combines aspects of her previous professional experiences with her current aspirations in medicine and her passion for community service. In her spare time, Nicola can be found taking care of her menagerie of animals, which includes several rescued cats and two dogs adopted from Philadelphia's local animal shelter.

In This Issue

Communication Diseases

Medical Records

Extern Nicola Painter

2013 Minimum Wage Changes

The following states have announced as of late November hourly minimum wage increases effective January 1, 2013:

Washington, to $9.19 for non-tipped employees and tipped employees

Vermont, to $8.60 for non-tipped and $4.17 for tipped employees

Rhode Island, to $7.75 for non-tipped employees and $2.89 (no change) for tipped employees

Oregon, to $8.95 for non-tipped employees and tipped employees

Ohio, to $7.85 for non-tipped employees and $3.93 for tipped employees (will apply to employers who gross more than $288,000 per year beginning in 2013)

Montana, to $7.80 for non-tipped employees and tipped employees

Missouri, to $7.35 for non-tipped employees and $3.675 for tipped employees

Florida, to $7.79 for non-tipped employees and $4.77 for tipped employees

Colorado, a proposed increase to $7.78 for non-tipped employees and $4.76 for tipped employees

Arizona, to $7.80 for non-tipped employees and $4.80 for tipped employees

Please visit your state's website for any additional changes to state minimum wage.

If your practice is one of these states, be sure to advise your payroll administrator of the rate changes.