This Week’s Hot Infection Control
News
Survey of MRI Centers Finds Lack of Basic
Infection Prevention
Peter Rothschild, MD, a radiologist and MRI
expert, has released the paper, “Survey of Infection
Control in the MRI Environment: Lack of Infection
Control Procedures in MRI May Place Patients and Staff
at Risk.”
MORE
Partnership Aims to Reduce Infections Among Cancer
Patients
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Foundation, the CDC and Amgen today announced the launch
of a three-year campaign to reduce infections among
cancer patients.
MORE
H1N1 Flu Cases in the U.S. Top 10,000
The Department of Health and Human Services and
the Center for Disease Control and Prevention are
reporting that there are currently 10,053 confirmed
cases of H1N1 influenza infection in the United States
and there have been 17 deaths associated with this
strain of influenza.
MORE
Avian Flu Virus Remains Infectious Up to 600 Days in
Municipal Landfills
Amid concerns about a pandemic of swine flu, researchers
from Nebraska report for the first time that poultry
carcasses infected with another threat — the avian
influenza virus — can remain infectious in municipal
landfills for almost two years.
MORE
Common Antibiotics May be Best First Treatment for
Children with MRSA-related Infections
Penicillin and other
antibiotics in the beta-lactam family work as well as
other antibiotics to treat methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcuss aureus (MRSA) infections in the skin and
soft-tissue of children and may help prevent further
resistance to antibiotic treatment.
MORE
Infectious Prion Strains Identified by Accelerated
Method
Current tests to identify specific
strains of infectious prions, which cause a range of
transmissible diseases (such as mad cow) in animals and
humans, can take anywhere from six months to a year to
yield results – a time-lag that may put human
populations at risk.
MORE
Looking for New Antibiotics
As the best drugs become
increasingly resistant to superbugs, McMaster University
researchers have discovered a completely different way
of looking for a new antibiotic.
MORE
Scientists Develop New HIV Microbicide
In what could be a major
pharmaceutical breakthrough, research published online
in The FASEB Journal describes how scientists from St
George's, University of London have devised a one-two
punch to stop HIV.
MORE
Common Antibiotics May be Best First Treatment for
Children with MRSA-related Infections
Penicillin and other antibiotics in the beta-lactam
family work as well as other antibiotics to treat
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcuss aureus (MRSA)
infections in the skin and soft-tissue of children and
may help prevent further resistance to antibiotic
treatment.
MORE
Infectious Prion Strains Identified by Accelerated
Method
Current tests to identify specific strains of infectious
prions, which cause a range of transmissible diseases
(such as mad cow) in animals and humans, can take
anywhere from six months to a year to yield results – a
time-lag that may put human populations at risk.
MORE
Looking for New Antibiotics
As the best drugs become increasingly resistant to
superbugs, McMaster University researchers have
discovered a completely different way of looking for a
new antibiotic.
MORE
Scientists Develop New HIV Microbicide
In what could be a major pharmaceutical breakthrough,
research published online in The FASEB Journal describes
how scientists from St George's, University of London
have devised a one-two punch to stop HIV.
MORE
New Infection Control Requirements for Medicare-Approved
ASCs
Included in the new Medicare conditions for
coverage for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) that took
effect on May 18, 2009 is a rigorous focus on
demonstrated infection prevention and control knowledge
and practice in an ASC.
MORE
Selenium Could be Key to Developing New Antibiotics
A mineral found at health food stores could be
the key to developing a new line of antibiotics for
bacteria that commonly cause diarrhea, tooth decay and,
in some severe cases, death.
MORE
H1N1 Infection Still Viable; Handwashing is a Key
Precaution
As H1N1 influenza infections continue, people around the
world can take proactive steps to protect themselves.
While wearing face masks and stocking up on
over-the-counter flu medication can help you avoid this
disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) is recommending a simpler measure -- frequent,
thorough handwashing.
MORE
PDI Champions the Fight Against HAIs with Toolkit
Continuing in its mission to prevent hospital
acquired infections (HAIs), Professional Disposables
International, Inc. (PDI), will fund and collaborate
with leaders from the Association for Professionals in
Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and Safe Care
Campaign, an advocacy group, to create “The Champion’s
Kit.”
MORE
June 2009 ICT Content Now Online
The content of the June issue of ICT is now
accessible online. Don’t miss our hand hygiene features:
New
study targets lymphoma in dogs and humans
US veterinary and human oncology specialists team up
to study non-Hodgkin lymphoma in dogs and people.
More
Salmonella top of EU food poisoning chart
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s latest
annual report on food-borne illnesses reveals that
Salmonella in eggs and egg products was the single
largest cause, responsible for 14.6% of verified cases.
With interactive charts.
More
Vets act as bridge
for wider zoonotic infections
Veterinarian's risk of zoonotic infections is often
higher than that of other occupational groups with
extensive exposure to animals, such as farm workers,
say US researchers.
More
WHO
dismisses theory that H1N1 was created in lab
WHO
dismisses the claim that a laboratory escape was
“one of simplest explanations” for the appearance of
H1N1. The virus is likely to have been created
naturally, the organization says.
More
Lawsuit claims Smithfield Foods
responsible for H1N1
The widower of the first US
resident to die of H1N1 influenza files a $1 billion
dollars lawsuit against Smithfield Foods for the
wrongful death of his wife.
More
Chicken is
largest source of Campylobacter food
poisoning in Scotland
Retail chickens are the single largest source of
Campylobacter infection in Scotland, according
to a report published by the Food Standards Agency
Scotland (FSAS). With interactive charts.
More
Vets
question selenium dosage as cause in polo deaths =>
West Palm Beach News, South Florida Breaking News,
Forecast, Video from WPTV
http://shar.es/a16w
New
communications and PR tools offer marketers less costly (and
equally effective) alternatives for building brand and
product awareness.
Tough economic times are forcing many companies to cut back
marketing and advertising budgets. According to figures
released by the Publisher's Information Bureau in January,
consumer magazine advertising pages dropped nearly 12
percent in 2008. While cost cutting may be necessary to
remain solvent, forcing your marketing department to go on a
crash diet can cause companies to lose the momentum and
brand awareness they've built up through long-term
campaigns. Just because times are lean doesn't mean you
have to sacrifice your hard-earned market share. Use this
economic downturn as a chance to supplement your marketing
and advertising activities with targeted public relations
campaigns that capitalize on the practice awareness you've
already cultivated.
Get Social
If your practice still hasn't made the leap into social
media, now's a great time to establish a foundation for such
activities. Research the top industry blogs, and if blogs
aren't already included in your media outreach plans,
integrate them. Get involved in the conversation. If you
don't have the time to start your own blog, become an active
commenter, or get involved in microblogging via Twitter, or
better yet, find a GEN-Y on your staff that wants to be
interactive in the Cyberspace community. Check out how your
community colleagues are utilizing Web 2.0 tools and
familiarize yourself with the social media applications
frequently leveraged by marketers -- Facebook, Twitter,
Del.i.cious, YouTube, Digg, etc. These applications are
rapidly becoming an essential platform for marketing and
brand building as more and more consumers increase the scope
of their activity on the web.
Make Your Press Release Interactive
Press releases have been traditionally used by
marketers to announce larger campaigns, like product
launches and sales events. Issued as a text announcement, a
release would set the stage for more expansive and engaging
communications efforts that would be used to ultimately
entice the company's target audiences. However, advances in
technology have made the press release a much more dynamic,
interactive multimedia communications tool, especially
compatible with a veterinary practice's needs. Today's
press release is actually a multimedia news release,
combining text with video, photos, social media elements and
much more. Further, changes in the way people access and
share information have prompted many companies to reassess
how a marketing campaign can be executed and the tools
necessary to make an impact in today's dynamic
communications environment. As a result, more communicators
are turning to the multimedia news release because it's the
most comprehensive. With more people relying on web-based
and social media-driven platforms as their first point of
access to the world, the ability to package corporate
messages, multimedia content and social media links in a
single communications format is key. Moreover, this tactic
not only presents strategic advantages for reaching one's
target audiences, but also economic benefits through the
consolidation of marketing and PR efforts.
Stand Out in the Veterinary Industry
The concept of thought leadership involves positioning
people at your practice as expert sources available for
commentary on issues related to your interest areas. If
done properly, thought leadership offers a valuable
opportunity to position your practice as an important player
in your animal-related field and generate marketable
attention for your products and services. Many publications
and industry-specific websites accept articles from experts
in the field. These bylined articles can be a great way to
position your spokespeople and generate further awareness of
your practice. Letters to the editor, which are accepted by
many print and online publications, can be another great way
to highlight your spokespeople and establish your practice
staff as a leading authority on an issue or topic pertinent
to the animal health industry. In addition to promoting
your practice's expertise, case studies offer an excellent
vehicle for highlighting practice products or services.
They're not only useful in hooking the interest of
reporters; they can also be valuable collateral for your
marketing team or website. Reach out to clients who have the
most compelling stories to see if they'd like to share their
stories. Often, they're happy to discuss the success that a
product or service brought to their lives.
BEYOND THE USUAL
Traditional PR has been an
important complement to marketing and advertising programs.
The press that results from a successful media campaign can
be invaluable in creating sustained practice and staff
recognition. Remember, in these difficult times, there's no
actual cost attached to getting an article published other
than the time and effort required to develop a story and
pitch a reporter. Don't give up on your communications and
marketing goals just because you have fewer resources. In
this environment, the practices that make the most out of
their resources and bring the most creativity into their
communications programs will draw the highest return in
community access.
WINDOWS 7
We've covered some of the more
important features of
Windows 7 before -- including the
improvements in security and speed -- but there are a host
of other, lesser-mentioned features that make using Windows
7 much more pleasurable than
Vista. Lifehacker, a must read
here at the Switched offices,
has compiled a list of its
favorite less-hyped features in Microsoft's upcoming
operating system.
One of these features is 'libraries,'
which lets you break out of the standard file/folder
paradigm with pictures by putting all your photos into a
photo library -- even if they're in different folders. Also
under-hyped are 'jump lists,' which gives quick access to
commonly used files and features and limit how much menu
digging we have to do.
You can check out the rest of
Lifehacker's list of underhyped Windows 7 features
at the read link. [From:
Lifehacker]
Related Links:
Intelligent Hospital Design
Can Reduce Medical Errors
Evidence-based hospital design has the backing of
more than 1,500 studies that show how design can be used to
reduce medical errors, infections and falls and to ease
patient stress. Rather than rely on semi-private rooms, many
hospitals have single-patient rooms, which provide
additional privacy, improve sleep, expose patients to
natural light and lower infection rates. A new hospital
being built by the University Medical Center at Princeton in
Plainsboro, N.J., will feature rooms with locked cabinets
containing only those medicines prescribed for the patient
assigned to the room in an effort to prevent medication
errors. Handrails next to the bed will prevent falls, sinks
near the door will encourage nurses and doctors to wash
their hands before entering, acoustical materials will
reduce noise and additional space and storage will encourage
visitors to stay longer. Bronson Methodist Hospital in
Kalamazoo, Mich., saw infection rates drop 11 percent after
sinks were repositioned and air flow was improved.
From "Health Outcomes Driving New Hospital Design"
New York Times (05/19/09) P. D5; Campbell, Carol Ann
To Change or Not To
Change
That is the Question!
As consultants, we discuss
with clients the need to reinvent themselves or
their practice in times of crisis or economic downturn. The
first thing to know about change is over 60% of the American
people do not want to, and the second thing to know is
understand that most people, when forced to, focus on "how"
and less on the "why"; they want a step-by-step process to
their new horizon. However, it's absolutely critical they
learn to know the "Why" first. When you now the "why", the
"how" becomes easier. For purposes of brevity, we'll assume
you know why the change you are seeking must take place (and
certainly as consultants we have discussed this in other
practices). The"how" is influenced by several key beliefs
to creating lasting change. First of all, you must have
certainty that your current situation is not working or is
intolerable, and it has to change now. The key word in that
sentence is NOW. As in all change, many people believe
change is a process and will work towards change. But in
reality, what the latest science teaches us about change is
that it is not a process but an instant, a moment, a blink,
whereby: (a) You STOP doing something you no longer want to
do, and/or... (b) You START doing something you do want to
do (or need to do). If you plan for your change to happen
in the future, whether it is tomorrow, or next week, or
next month, the way the brain really works is this: While it
can cognitively think of and ponder the future, mechanically
speaking and process wise, the brain works in only two time
frames: now and not now. So as long as you program
something in the future, in reality, what that means to your
mind is this, "I'm not going to do the change now."
Therefore, change Rule #1 is, "This is not working, it's
intolerable, and it has to change now." This is the first
step to creating this lasting redesign and making it
stick.
Rule #2: "I must act
immediately to change it." Several key words are in this
program command. It implies it is not someone else, it's
not the team, it's not anything else. In order for your
reality in the world to change, you have to take ownership
and you must versus "I should" or "I need
to" or "I want to". These are all "failure with honor"
words. I must act - meaning - when you wake up, the day you
make your change and your shift and your redesign real, you
must act immediately to change it. This means that you must
act immediately when you wake up to begin changing the
things that you do, the things you are thinking about, the
emotions you are holding..... everything must change!
The final component to
creating this lasting change is the fact that the only one
who can change it is you, and you have the ability to do
it. "I can change it now. I must change it now. This
redesign that I want is absolutely critical to what I want
to create for myself."
When you think about the big changes you have created in
your life or your organization, they generally came at the
end of some amount of pain - chronic pain, massive pain or
some amount of pleasure, or massive ability to have a vision
for what you wanted. So you either wanted that incredible
part in a play, or captain of that sports team, or to make
that sports team, or to learn that instrument. Or, you were
motivated by the pain, you couldn't tolerate an overweight
body anymore, or you were going to a reunion, or you were
going to appear in a wedding, or you were fired from a job,
or you had someone leave you. Something happened painful
that you woke up and you said, "I've hit bottom, I'm done
with this."
The "I can change" and the
ability to wake up that day and begin focusing on the new
thought patterns, massively, immediately, with all of your
committed level creates the momentum for the change to be
real and to stick. With this momentum, even if it was a
huge effort to change, you got through it. The times you
haven't changed generally lies in the arena that you believe
that you can't change. Or you believe that change is
possible, that others can change, but that you really aren't
able to do it that well. You will then create a story as to
why you can't change and hide that truth. Or maybe you
don't want to change. Your current situation serves you in
a way that allows you to create an equation that you have
more fear attached to the changed state or there is less of
a desire to do something NOW in order to change. So you
don't want to change - you also create a story to hide the
truth. Sometimes, we just tell ourselves "we don't know how
to change," "oh, that's really hard," or "I'm not sure how I
would do that," "I'm not sure how I would be that person".
In that space, you will not change. You will create a story
that will hide your lack of change.
At the end of the day, what is critical to this process is
that you look at the redesigned you. You must be the
redesigned you, the reinvented you, and you must be there
absolutely now whether that's baby steps, big steps, a
complete cold turkey-flip-of-the switch - "I must be that
person today" -- whether it's motivated by pain or
pleasure. There will be a component of "now" and there will
be ownership and responsibility that you are the one that
has to do it. You will not even worry so much about how you
will do it because the why will be so big, that the "how's"
will appear as you journey towards the destination of the
new, reinvented you.
Within all of the coachings, consultings and teachings I
offer, there is always a new chapter beyond this one. I
am committed to the fact that my client will win, they will
find your peace, and they'll make something happen. Look
back five years in your life and look at the things that you
worried about, that motivated you, that created your success
or limited you and held you back from great achievements.
It doesn't matter today, five years ago is almost
laughable. Five years from today, all your pain, all your
worry, all your anxiety and all your fear will also be
laughable. There will be a new monster, five years from
now that is busy chasing you, causing you to grow, causing
you to change as you engage in this amazing journey called
life!
Create a fantastic one!
Good Morning America correspondent Dr. Marty Becker and Mars
Veterinary Chief Geneticist Dr. Neale Fretwell answer
Dogster.com viewers questions about Dog DNA.
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/05/15/your-dog-dna-questions-answered-part-iii/
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/05/14/your-dog-dna-questions-answered-part-ii/
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/05/13/dna-questions-answered-part-one/
Taking the
Mystery Out of Mixed-Breed Dogs
Roughly half of all dogs in the United States are mixed
breed and the bulk of owners (86 percent)*** are unsure of
their pet's breed composition. The revolutionary Wisdom
Panel MX eliminates the guessing game - and six out of 10
mixed breed dog owners2 feel that having this knowledge
would help them understand their dogs in ways that may
improve their relationships with their pets.
The test is administered by
veterinarians during a routine veterinary visit - such as a
new puppy vet visit or as part of an adult dog's annual
vaccination visit - where a small sample of blood is drawn.
Within just two to three weeks following the test, Mars
Veterinary will provide owners and veterinarians a
customized, comprehensive report that includes the dog's
breed analysis and detailed information on the appearance
and potential behavioral characteristics of the detected
breeds. Dog owners can work together with their vets to
interpret the test data and create targeted care and
wellness plans for their dogs based on their test results.
"Wisdom Panel MX realizes that every dog has an important
tale to tell," says Michael Price, General Manager for Mars
Veterinary. "This test, now available at retail nationwide,
offers mixed breed dog owners the unique opportunity to
unlock the mystery behind their beloved mutts, which can
ultimately strengthen the human-pet bond."
The Science
Behind the Doggie DNA Test
The
state-of-the-art Wisdom Panel MX test from Mars VeterinaryTM
is based on years of extensive research, drawing from the
expertise of leading scientists, veterinarians, universities
and breed organizations throughout the world. Its
development included the analysis of more than 19 million
DNA markers from more than 13,000 dogs. As a result, the
test is the most complete and comprehensive product on the
market, able to detect the breed composition of a dog with
unprecedented accuracy.
Wisdom Panel MX is available
at PetSmart for a one-time fee of just $124.99. For more
information log onto visit
www.wisdompanel.com.
Apologies Can Reduce Medical Liability
Litigation
When healthcare providers say "I'm sorry" to
patients and their families, the result is often a
reduction in medical liability litigation and
improvements in patient care, according to several
Michigan-based healthcare systems incorporating this
practice into their daily operations. The University of
Michigan Health System has saved millions of dollars in
malpractice fees and has improved overall patient care
quality since implementing the policy six years ago.
Officials say it has improved transparency and its
ethical approach to medical errors. St. Joseph Mercy
Health System in Ann Arbor, Trinity Health in Novi and
Henry Ford Health System in Detroit have similar apology
policies in place. Henry Ford attributes its 62 percent
reduction in malpractice expenses to the error
disclosure program implemented in 2001. According to
Chief Quality Officer William Conway, Henry Ford's
annual malpractice payouts went from $45 million to $17
million over an eight-year period, despite a 25 percent
increase in patient volume.
From "Hospitals Find Confession Good for the Bottom
Line"
Crain's Detroit Business (05/17/09) Vol. 25, No.
19, P. 18; Greene, Jay
WHAT THE AGENTS
DO. . .AND DON'T!
Look as you may for Purell these days, you're probably going
to find empty store shelves, a result of the frantic public
effort to achieve an exalted state of "disinfectia."
Clorox, Lysol and a host of antibacterial products are
having their golden moments. But are you sure what the
products do, how to use them, when they work, and when they
don't? Here's a sanitized description to help your central
processing at home, work and play:
CLEANING with soap and hot water or certain detergents
removes surface dirt. For most situations, it will serve
your purpose. Use of antibacterial surface sprays on dirty
surfaces is not effective.
SANITIZING reduces microorganisms to usually acceptable
standards. This again, can usually be accomplished with
detergents, though will likely not be effective for surfaces
exposed to meat, fish, poultry, eggs or contaminated
produce.
DISINFECTING inhibits the growth of microorganisms, killing
most of them or slowing their return. It does NOT
sterilize, which is defined as the complete absence of
microorganisms. Disinfectants vary in their targets, but
are typically effective on the surfaces listed above that do
not respond to sanitizers.
ANTIBACTERIALS used for personal use, on hands for example,
are effective in killing and inhibiting microorganisms,
except on very dirty "situations". Use of these products
has become widespread in public venues such as in markets,
office settings and entertainment facilities. Their use in
hospitals is now universal, intermittently used by personnel
to substitute for soap and water hand washing. Hand washing
compliance increases significantly when antibacterial
stations are convenient and plentiful.
Note: There is a fear that overuse of antibacterial hand
washes could cause growth of resistant strains of bacteria.
In any case, whenever good hand washing protocols can be
used, this is the preferred approach to hygiene.
Who knew???????
Before you read to the end, do you know what the
main ingredient of WD-40 is?
I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I
got up very early one Sunday morning and saw
that someone had spray painted red all around
the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown
reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him
the bad news. He was very upset and was trying
to figure out what to do probably nothing until
Monday morning, since nothing was open.
Another neighbor came out and told him to get
his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the
unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his
paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed!
WD-40 who knew? 'Water Displacement #40' The
product began from a search for rust
preventative solvent and degreaser to protect
missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by
three technicians at the San Diego Rocket
Chemical Company. Its name comes from the
project that was to find a 'water displacement'
compound. They were successful with the
fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair
Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas
missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says
there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
When you read the 'shower door' part, try it.
It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that
spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it
works just as well as glass. It's a miracle!
Then try it on your stove top .... Voila! It's
now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be
amazed. Here
are some other uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar 20 strings.
4.. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without
making them slippery.
5. Keeps flies off cows.
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue
grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from
oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water
spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble
floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly..
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and
doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from t he
kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar
and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to
harm the finish and you won't have to scrub
nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember
to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your
car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a 20
shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever
for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of
squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows
and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to
open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather
dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl
bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric
fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprocket s on tricycles,
wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers
and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw
blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the
smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands,
and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and
removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.
38. The favorite use in New York, WD-40 protects
the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live
bait or lures and you will be catching the big
one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than
the chemical attractants that are made for just
that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some
chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are
not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the
sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from
walls. Spray on the mark & wipe with a clean
rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage
daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick
with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick
spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The
lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap,
it would displace the moisture and allow the car
to start.
P. S. The basic ingredient is ........ (scroll
down)
V
V
FISH OIL. |
SURVIVING THE
CREDIT CRUNCH
FROM PURCHASING
SUPPLIES and inventory to paying vendors and making
payroll, the credit crunch has made even the
simplest tasks more difficult for small-business
owners.
For Tony Jeler, owner of Swift Signs, a corporate
sign maker in Sunnyvale, Calif., the hardest nut to
crack these days is getting customers to pay up.
Last week, 25 to 30 of his 250 accounts were
overdue, compared with just five to 10 overdue
accounts under normal circumstances. That resulting
$20,000 deficit weighs on everything else the
business does. “I have to buy supplies before I get
a sign up. Not having a constant cash inflow makes
affording to even make signs tough,” he says.
Small businesses have to step up their efforts — and
get creative — if they want to survive the credit
crunch, says Peter S. Cohan, president of Peter S.
Cohan & Associates, a management consulting and
venture capital firm in Marlborough, Mass. Here’s
how to overcome five of the most common credit
crunch problems:
Reeling in Receivables
The best way to reel
in wayward customer payments is to not let them
unravel in the first place by introducing late
payment fines or penalties to your payment policy,
says Cohan.
If your business is already weighed down by a stack
of unpaid debts, picking up the phone and
persistently reminding your clients about their
obligations is your next best option. If you’re
going this route, consider hiring a collections
agent, says Justin Kitch, a vice president at Intuit
Small Business, a unit of the Mountain View,
Calif.-based bookkeeping software firm Intuit (INTU).
Otherwise, you risk straining your customer
relationships
and losing future sales. But prepare to pay
up: Collections agents keep 30 to 40 cents of every
dollar they collect, Kitch says.
To circumvent the cost of hiring a collections agent
and keep an arm’s length between him and his
clients, Jeler brought in his wife to manage
collections.
Paying Bills On Time
When there isn’t
enough cash to go around, paying one’s own bills
naturally gets tougher, says Cohan. He suggests
prioritizing: First, pay the costliest bills — those
with late payment penalties — and the ones that
impact your credit. Then, work down the debts you
need to pay to keep your company afloat. For the
rest, try negotiating payment arraignments, suggests
Bob Fifer, president of Fifer Associates, a business
management consultancy in Great Falls, Va. For
instance, if you offer to pay cash, vendors may be
willing to extend your payment schedule. If you’re
in really bad shape, they might even accept less
than what you owe, Fifer says.
Winning New Business
Since getting new
customers takes money, business owners are
dispensing their limited marketing dollars more
discriminately these days. Rather than advertising
in newspapers, for example, Patti Styka, owner of
Foster City, Calif.-based Elegant Lagoon Cruises, is
tapping into her existing customer base for added
sales and referrals with the help of an email
marketing service. For just $15 a month, she can
send an email highlighting a special promotion or
discount offer to up to 500 current and potential
customers. On average, she says, about 50% of the
people on her list open her emails and about 12%
click through to her site for more information.
“Compared to the cost of newspaper advertising, it’s
a no-brainer,” she says.
Making Payroll
While many firms have
laid off employees to reduce payroll expenses, doing
so can cost more in the long run. Not only do
employees contribute to a company's productivity,
they're trained to your company’s specific needs. To
avoid the cost of retraining new hires down the
road, implement employee furloughs or unpaid
vacation days, suggests Cohan.
Expanding Operations
It sounds
counterintuitive, but as commercial rents have
nosedived and business
valuations
are scraping the floor, now may be an ideal time to
expand, says Gregg S. Fisher, president and chief
investment officer at New York financial advisory
firm Gerstein Fisher. “Proactive business owners are
working toward positioning themselves for growth,”
he says. “They are thinking about making investments
in the business.”
Of course, expansion is largely contingent on
getting a loan, which is difficult in today’s tight
credit climate. However, businesses with a solid
track record that can prove their future
profitability will be in better shape.
"SUCKER
BET" ADVERTISING
(An ad
going around on e-mail)
DID YOU
KNOW - According to one industry
survey, on average, veterinarians are
seeing 10 fewer patients per week than
in the past!
How's your practice doing?
A
recent report published by Dunn &
Bradstreet cites, "demand for Vet
services will likely level through 2015,
due to an aging population that is less
likely to keep pets."
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, "the number of working
veterinarians in the field is expected
to increase by 35% between now and 2016,
much faster then average for all
occupations."
According to the US Census Bureau, there
has been a 45% increase in employment in
the Veterinary field in the past 10
years.
|
|
The American
Veterinary Magazine is conducting a poll
of industry professionals like you, to
help private practice veterinarians
tackle challenges in growing your
practice.
Your answer
to this simple poll question and follow
up questions will be used to help us
deliver ideas, solutions and articles
that will help keep your practice
thriving.
Would you be
willing to give pet owners discounted
services in exchange for a guaranteed
flow of new
business?
|
TOM CAT'S
PERSPECTIVES:
NOTE: Google
American Veterinary Magazine and you will find
there is NO SUCH PUBLICATION - can you believe
an ad as above when it starts with a
fabrication?
FACT 1) patient
visits are NOT dropping in practices where staff
are having nursing consults
FACT 2) client
vaccine visits have dropped about 5%, but NO ONE
has tracked if that is due to extended DOI
vaccines or the economy
FACT 3) D&B
defined "services"under the 1970 definitions,
not including PCRs, JPSs, dentistries & other
new modalities, as well as by client visits NOT
patient visits
FACT 4) Increases
in 'working veterinarians' (Labor & Statistics)
did not appear to differentiate between
part-time, full-time, and the overworked,
extended hour, paradigms of the past.
FACT 5) increased
workforce in veterinary medicine is a factopr od
expanded leveraging using staff . . . we all
know that 10 years ago, three staff per FTE
doctor was the norm, while now we are closer to
5.6 staff per FTE doctor.
FACT 6) the
average practice has only 9-15% pure net after
clinical compensation of owner, fair rent, and
reasonable ROI for tangible asset return . . .
FACT 7) slanted
reporting of statistics is designed to set
uninformed veterinarians into a panic, and
have them grasp at straws . . . puppy clubs
(guaranteed discounts for new clients) have
been offered for years, and virtually none
have survived.
SUMMARY - Rather than
succumbing to the above attempt at induced
panic, answer these four questions with
honesty:
#1 - what is the PCR
Standard of Care in your practice, and what
has been the acceptance rate?
#2 - 85% of adult
animals need some form of dental care, what
is the Standard of Care in your practice for
each of the four dental grades, and what has
been the acceptance rate?
#3 - about 50% of all
animals entering your practice need some
form of nutritional care, what is the
Standard of Care in your practice for
referring these cases to a veterinary nurse
for monitoring, and what has been the
acceptance rate?
#4 - about 90%
of puppy owners entering your practice
believe they need some form of behavior
management assistance (covered very well in
Linda White's new text by AAHA), what is the
Standard of Care in your practice for
referring these cases to your own veterinary
nurse for puppy clubs, kitten kindys, and
family fit consults, and what has been the
acceptance rate?
SOLUTION - Our VCI
Partners in Progress three day consultation
(www.drtomcat.com)
addresses these and other common practice
shortfalls in wellness medicine . . . we
teach you how to increase income without
discounts and without arbitrary fee
increases. In Australia, we have been
sharing these ideas with the
MEDFIN Capital City
Seminar Series each year. In the
USA, we have done it at the
Wild West Veterinary
Conference Wellness/HAB Track
seminars (held in Reno, every Oct) . . .
this year at the Wild West Veterinary
Conference, we will also be offering the
TEAM-BASED TRAINING, for advanced registered
four person practice teams, the first true
and proven full-team training program since
the VPC Shirt
Sleeve Seminars were put into
moratorium. REGISTER
NOW AND ENSURE YOUR TEAM HAS A SPOT at THE
NEW WWVC TEAM-BASED TRAINING!
Smile - the best is
yet to come. Tom Cat >*-*<