Missed Charges: Who Pays When the Clinic Gets It Wrong?

Missed charges happen in every veterinary practice, but what happens next says a lot about clinic culture. In this episode, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, take on the uncomfortable reality of billing mistakes: forgotten charges, wrong invoice items, inventory mix-ups, and the dreaded follow-up call to a client. They discuss why missed charges often turn into blame, especially for technicians, CSRs, and support staff, and how clinics can handle these mistakes without creating fear or finger-pointing. Beckie emphasizes the role of psychological safety, while Ernie shares how written policies, clear thresholds, and manager-led client communication helped his teams manage billing errors more fairly. The episode offers practical takeaways for owners, managers, veterinarians, techs, and front-desk teams: make charges easier to enter correctly, define when the clinic absorbs small errors, decide who contacts the client, and stop treating normal human mistakes like personal failures. #VeterinaryMedicine #VetTechLife #VeterinaryPracticeManagement #VetMedLeadership #VeterinaryViewfinder