The 5 don'ts of equipment buying Jun 1, 2007 By: Wayne Usiak, AIA

Wishy-washy decisions on purchases and buying equipment you don't need can blow your budget. Save money by avoiding these mistakes.

Find the right level of comfort for every practice area Jun 1, 2006 By: Ramzi Namek, PE

A chart to help you find the right level of comfort for the different areas in your practice.

You want to build a safe, comfortable work environment. Not too hot. Not too cold. Here's how to make sure your facility is "just right."

Drains and air-return ducts may not seem sexy, but thoughtful choices about behind-the-scenes tools let your new practice work harder for you. Here's what you need to know.

Use this handy sheet to build your shopping list. Then start work in your new facility feeling confident that you've got the tools and supplies you need.

Buying the right radiograph machine takes research. Dr. David S. Biller, Dipl. ACVR, a radiology professor at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., suggests you consider these factors when choosing a unit:

You'd probably like to own an ultrasound machine, but before spending your hard-earned money, take time to determine whether you really need and will use one. "Ultrasound is to soft tissues what radiographs are to the bone, and we certainly see more soft tissue injuries than we do bone injuries," says Dr. Tracy Turner, Professor of Large Animal Surgery at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn. "You can't live without an ultrasound machine if you do lots of reproduction and lameness work. And it's also useful for visualizing the heart, lungs, pleural cavity, intestines, and other internal organs."

Your new computer is humming on your desk. So what do you do with the old one collecting dust in the corner?

Q. I'm shopping for a new radiograph machine. Which offers greater tax advantages, buying or leasing?