Sources of Further Information

Tips From the Pros

Top tips from experienced house call veterinarians

During a presentation about house call practice at the 2010 North American Veterinary 
Conference, Dr. Smith asked the more-experienced house call practitioners for the “top tips” they would give someone starting out. Here’s their list, in no particular order.

• There are many routes to taking credit cards: machines, wireless, software.
• Allow more time for the exam than a stationary practice; more time to drive than you think; more time in general than you think.
• Be clear about the services you offer (and those you don’t).
• Plan for clients (schedule) as individuals (once you get to know them).
• You will do more euthanasias than in standard practice, and they will take more time than in a clinic.
• Answer your phone so you don’t lose new clients to someone else; respond promptly.
• Tell clients what to expect (timing; services).
• Create limits for the distance you will go and the services you will offer.
• Charge more rather than say no.
• Use a cat muzzle.
• Start out with a computer.
• Use a head lamp.
• Call clients while en route to their home.
• Create a fee by time or an ‘animal find fee’.
• Laboratory: Some take their equipment into the clients’ homes; (e.g., centrifuge, microscope) and do lab work on the spot; others take lab samples to their own home office; others send ALL to an outside lab, including fecals.
• Fees may be set higher than that of regular practice because it all takes longer.
• Practice the words to say to charge for a consult.
• The tendency is to carry too much inventory.
• Florida: HC must have commercial license plates regardless of vehicle; commercial vehicles cannot have removable logos.
   

Links to More Information

IRS publications

Most libraries carry copies of all the following documents, or you can download them from http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs (All documents are free; get each year’s revised edition).
# (no number): New Business Tax Kit
# 334 Tax guide for small businesses
# 463 Travel, entertainment, auto, gift expenses
# 505 Tax Withholding and estimated tax
# 533 Self-employment tax
# 535 Business expenses
# 552 Record keeping for individuals 139
# 560 Self-employed retirement plans
# 583 Taxpayers starting a business
# 587 Business use of your home
# 590 Individual retirement arrangements
# 1200 List of IRS publications
# 15 Circular E, Employer’s tax guide
# 937 Business reporting (Gives independent contractor criteria)
Form 1040-ES (Estimated tax for Individuals; includes explanation/worksheet)

Associations

American Association of Mobile Veterinary Practitioners. Offers webinars and networking. www.aamvp.org [email protected]
American Association of House Call Veterinarians AAHV A loosely-knit group that meets at many of the national veterinary meetings, usually without much pre-planning. Look for a meeting notice on the bulletin board at any large veterinary meeting. Their website exists (in 2 places) but has sporadic response. www.housecallvets.org and www.homevets.org They also have a yahoo site at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/AAHV/join
The American Animal Hospital Association has some good resources for practice owners (that’s you). Among them: Financial and Productivity Pulsepoints. See www.aahanet.org > library/resources.
The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association provides useful resources including the Fee Guide (compare your fees to benchmarks). See www.vhma.org

Web sites

The librarian at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has put together a web page with a list of resources for house call and mobile veterinarians.
www.lib.utk.edu/agvet/veterinary/house_call.html
Photo essay: a day in the life of a mobile veterinarian www.efn.org/~hkrieger/vet.htm
Sample client brochure and letter by Dr. Allan Berger www.brebt.com/newclient.pdf
LaBoit’s web site includes a great deal of information for house call and mobile veterinarians. www.laboit.com
VIN: The Veterinary Information Network, www.vin.com or call (800) 700-4636
The Small Business Resource Center provides articles on starting and operating a small business. www.small-business-resource-center.com/
The US Business Advisor gives information about government regulations, publications and resources for small business. http://www.business.gov
The Edward Lowe Foundation’s (ELF) provides access to a vast amount of information for small business owners. The ELF web site has a huge list of resources and links to web sites for all sorts of other business information providers, including: smallbizNet is an informational clearinghouse for small business people; it includes a collection of approximately 4,000 full-text searchable documents (some free, some at a fee). Examples: OSHA handbook for small business; Starting and managing a business from your home. The Edward Lowe Foundation, www.lowe.org 

Books

Get from any online used or new bookstore, or any nearby public library. If they are not in your local branch, ask your librarian to get them for you via the interlibrary loan service.
Working from Home (Fourth edition 1999). Paul & Sarah Edwards. Tarcher/Putnam. (Highly recommended! The classic book for any self-employed person with an office in the home, which includes you.)
Client Satisfaction Pays: Quality Service for Practice Success. Carin A. Smith DVM. AAHA Press. Second edition 2009
The Veterinary Fee Reference and Financial Pulsepoints. Both published at regular intervals by AAHA. www.aahanet.org
Practice Made Perfect. Marsha Heinke. 2nd ed., 2012
Your First Business Plan: A Simple Question And Answer Format Designed To Help You Write Your Own Plan Joseph A. Covello and Brian Hazelgren 2005
Value-Based Fees: How to Charge and Get What You’re Worth (The Ultimate Consultant Series) Alan Weiss 2002
The NAFE Guide to Starting Your Own Business. Nat’l Assoc for Female Executives. www.nafe.com/faq.php#Resources

Articles

Nationwide fees report. Veterinary Economics, each October issue.
Physician Self-disclosure in Primary Care Visits: “Enough about You, What about Me?” McDaniel SH, et al, “Arch Intern Medicine 167:12. (June 25, 2007), 1321–1326. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17592107

Associations

The Small Business Administration publishes a wide variety of helpful books and pamphlets. www.sba.gov SBA publications include:
Directory of Business Development Publications; Checklist For Going Into Business
Budgeting in a Small Service Firm; Record Keeping in a Small Business
Business Plan for Small Service Firms; Profit Costing and Pricing for Services
How to Get Started With a Small Business Computer
A group called SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) can help you with free advice. Find the nearest group by contacting the SBA or your local Chamber of Commerce.

Office supplies

For forms made specifically for veterinarians, such as appointment books, invoices, and reminders, check the ads in the back of the more “newsy” magazines: Veterinary Economics, DVM Newsmagazine, and Veterinary Forum. Also peruse the exhibits at any large veterinary meeting.
Veterinary solutions for handheld computers. https://anmldr.com
Quill office products (I’ve found this company to have low mail order prices, but sometimes it depends upon what you’re purchasing.) 1-800-789-1331 www.quill.com
Post office stamps and preprinted stamped envelopes, www.usps.com
For information about vehicle or office product reliability: Consumer reports (monthly magazine and yearly buying guide issue). 

Vehicle accessories

Many online resources for business vehicles, such as Reliable Home Office supply catalog includes handy items for the car for your business (e.g., table for your laptop) www.reliable.com/reliable/home.html
Mobile Office Outfitter and Travel Tools for the Business Traveler. Call for catalogs that include a desk for your car passenger seat, laptop stand for your car, and more handy stuff. www.skymall.com

OSHA information

1. The American Animal Hospital Association has an OSHA compliance guide for veterinarians, which includes a video. www.aahanet.org/
2. The OSHA web site has a variety of information, forms, and publications. www.osha.gov

Mobile units and vehicle inserts

Dodgen Mobile Technologies www.dodgen-bornfree.com/
LaBoit, Inc www.laboit.com LaBoit’s web site includes a great deal of information for house call and mobile veterinarians.
Porta-Vet www.portavet.com/
LifeLine Mobile, Inc. www.LifeLineMobile.com
(Note veterinary units are not shown on web site; e-mail for info) 2050 McGaw Road, Columbus, OH 432071. 800-678-5463 [email protected]