I've been sued. Now what? A malpractice lawsuit could happen to you. Be prepared to protect yourself with these steps from a lawyer who's seen it before. May 1, 2008 By: Bonnie Lutz, Esq.

Your Medical Career and financial stability flash before your eyes. A gut-wrenching feeling takes hold. This is it; you've been hit with a malpractice lawsuit.

Who's in control? A self-serving team member may be pulling the strings at your practice, cutting fragile lines of communication, and controlling the team with fear. Why are you letting it happen? May 1, 2008 By: Mark Opperman, CVPM

Someone is in charge at your practice. If you're the owner, it should be you. But you might be surprised to learn that the de facto leader of many practices isn't the person whose name is on the deed—it's a team member given too much power by a boss who doesn't want to manage or is afraid to.

Ommm for owners Seven mantras to guide you in finding and keeping doctors. May 1, 2008 By: Craig Woloshyn, DVM

Good associates are rarer than hen's teeth, so how do you attract them to your cozy practice and keep them?

Build it, but will they come? Weigh your options before constructing a new clinic. May 1, 2008 By: Jeff Rothstein, DVM, MBA

I love my big building—until I compare it to another $1 million practice in our group, an older but well-maintained 2,500-square-foot facility.

Use this Excel spreadsheet to show associates and team members how much you spend to employ them.

With a possible recession looming, a wave of financially struggling clients may be cresting at your door. Are you ready?

The measure of a machine Apr 1, 2008 By: Dawn Koetting, DVM

New equipment can yield rewards that don't show up on a cost-benefit analysis.

Associate vehicle ownership and care Mar 1, 2008 By: Mark Baus, DVM

Should we require our associate veterinarians to own their own vehicles? We're finding that they don't take care of the practice-owned trucks. What are the ramifications of making this change, and what are other practices doing?

Our 24-hour clinic has a main office, three satellite facilities, 14 veterinarians, and 80-plus team members, so staff communication is always a challenge. In addition to a weekly newsletter, we have monthly meetings for each department and a monthly staff meeting for everyone.