by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Animal Health News & Views. In November 2024, the VHMA released survey results gleaned from asking hospital leaders “What keeps you up at night?” While answers ranged from decreasing client visits to profitability to the election, the top three concerns, [...]
by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Animal Health News & Views. I get to wear two hats as a professional – a consultant through Blue Heron Consulting, and that of a private practice owner in my personal hospitals. As a consultant, I never thought I’d write [...]
by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Animal Health News & Views. In my previous blog post, I addressed the pros and cons of private practice ownership and whether it could be the right fit for readers. In speaking and working with practice owners across the United [...]
by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Animal Health News & Views. Owning a Veterinary practice is a dream for many in the field, offering the opportunity to create a legacy, build a culture, and deliver care in a way that aligns with personal values and professional [...]
by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in DVM360. Years ago, in college, I wanted to buy a horse, so I made the long drive from Kentucky to Wyoming to spend several days riding and roping a wide assortment. A roan quarter horse, Remington, eventually worked himself to [...]
by Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in DVM360. It's 3 in the morning, cold, dark and rainy. I'm 3 or 4 years old, sitting in the backseat of my dad's truck riding out to watch him to deliver a calf or fix a prolapsed uterus. Fast-forward a [...]
By Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Today's Veterinary Business. Do you remember when you first wanted to be a veterinary professional? Most of you do, and that goal became a calling that carried you through school and to where you are today. Once out in the [...]
By Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Clinician's Brief. During my recent presentation on veterinary medicine compensation models, a Michigan State University student asked why 25% of production is used as a rule of thumb for compensation and benefits. “Why not a higher percentage?” he asked. I [...]
By Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Today's Veterinary Business. As a consultant, I get nervous butterflies each time I prepare to review a veterinary hospital’s valuation with a friend or client. The video calls summarize the individual’s ability as a practice owner to build a legacy [...]
By Stith Keiser | Blue Heron Consulting This article was written for and featured in Today's Veterinary Business. I will never forget my first staff meeting as the new owner of a rural mixed-animal, one-doctor practice. To this day, I can still feel my nervousness and excitement. I vividly recall walking into the hospital’s small [...]