Managing a Veterinary Practice

This internationally appealing edition has been largely rewritten and contains new, updated information on leadership, the role of a manager, basic financial management, marketing, communication within the practice, and how to achieve good client compliance, as well as much sound practical advice from the author. Aimed at practice owners and managers, and those with a vested interest in understanding business management in veterinary practice, the book explains the core principles involved in running a business. ‘Big Business' concepts are explained in practical and applied terms to fulfil small business needs using examples from a wide variety of sources, including internationally recognized business management experts such as Peter Drucker, David Maister, Stephen Covey and Michael Gerber.

• Fully updated with a new chapter on financial management written by new co-author and economist Erik Bäck
• Focuses on key management issues including the importance of clear leadership and communication and compliance
• Creates an understanding of the philosophy and background to effective business management
• Demonstrates practical applications of the essential management principles needed to run a veterinary practice
• Introduction of illustrations and photographs highlight and clarify important elements in the text
• Extended appendices which include guidance on conducting market surveys
• Highlighted boxes used to emphasize points, show examples and give advice

• Thoroughly updated to include the latest information and ideas for effective management.
• Includes new chapters and new appendices for more comprehensive coverage of how to become a successful manager.
• Written from a business-principles approach that relates the ideas, thoughts, and practices of management experts in practical terms.
• Explains essential management principles in clear language with practical examples that make content easy to understand.
• Coverage of practice finances helps the reader to keep track of their business’s finances.
• New second author brings over 20 years’ experience as a management consultant and leader in financial and economic analysis to the book.

Many practice managers spend a considerable amount of time looking for better ways of doing thinks, more efficient methods and processes, and new ideas for making or saving money. Many also tend to question what they do and want to know how others deal with the variety of problems they encounter in pracice. It isn't a great deal of published good, realistic advice out there on how to manage a veterinary practice. We often want a one-stop shop that helps to answer our questions about day-to-day practicalities and planning our future strategies for development, expansion and increased profits. This book goes a long way towards achieving just that, crammed as it is with information, good advice and down-to-earth guidance and ideas.
If you are an experienced practice manager, this book will probably not tell you anything you do not already know, although some interesting cameos may stimulate, particulary the sections on management and motivational theories, which summarise succinctly a vast body of knowledge. If you are new to the job, or planning to own your own practice, this book is essential reading and I would recommend it to my students.
Catherine Coates, Veterinary Times, Vol.37, No. 16, May 7,2007