Missed charges put clinic workflow and trust under scrutiny

Veterinary Viewfinder’s latest episode, released May 6, 2026, takes up a familiar but uncomfortable practice-management problem: missed charges. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, frame the issue around a simple question — when a clinic forgets to bill for a service, medication, or procedure, who decides what happens next, and who absorbs the loss? (podchaser.com) Broader industry reporting suggests the problem is far from isolated. AAHA recently reported that missed or incorrect charges are a common auditing challenge tied to staffing shortages, delayed records, workflow gaps, and inconsistent accountability. (aaha.org) Older but still widely cited practice-management reporting from dvm360 estimated that practices miss about 10% of charges on average, or roughly $64,000 per doctor per year. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, missed charges aren’t just a revenue leak. They sit at the intersection of medical records, invoicing, team accountability, and trust with pet parents. AAHA sources say invoice auditing works best when it’s treated as a workflow and quality-control issue, not a punitive exercise, with checkpoints across the visit rather than blame assigned after the fact. (aaha.org) That matters because the same process failures that lead to missed billing can also point to incomplete records, weak handoffs, and uneven communication at discharge. AVMA PLIT guidance also underscores the importance of knowing state recordkeeping requirements and maintaining strong documentation practices. (avmaplit.com)

What to watch: Expect more discussion around charge-capture tools, audit workflows, and clinic policies for when — or whether — to go back to pet parents after a billing mistake. (aaha.org)