Creative Disruption

What might your veterinary practice look like if you were just starting one or contemplating a do-over? 

Our current model of veterinary practice could be viewed as a great wooden ship. It’s carried us admirably over many years through seas fair and foul, from a profession dedicated to transportation (horse doctors) to one devoted to protein (farm animals) to one dedicated mainly to companionship. Our ship is comfortable and familiar, and it […]

The veterinary profession isn’t doing enough to keep pace with the skyrocketing number of pet owners. We need more DVM graduates, and we must make better use of technicians and technology. 

The demand for veterinary services is growing and the supply of veterinary professionals is not, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing for millions of new pet owners who benefit from a fur baby’s unconditional love. A curse in figuring out how best our profession can deal with the growing need for […]

We should celebrate the state of nothingness. The absence of disease is a consequence of frequent visits and client compliance.

One of the many challenges our society faces with COVID-19 is that nothing happens if we wear a mask, wash our hands and physically distance from one another. Nothing is a good thing, right? No one gets sick. However, recognizing and reinforcing behavior that results in the absence of disease is difficult. The same can […]

Making full use of a veterinary nurse’s skills and competencies can help more pets get the care they need and make the practice even more successful.

I’m certain that readers will agree when I remind them that veterinary professionals are brilliant, charming, good-looking, popular and humble. Can’t forget humble. In fact, we’ve never been more popular. Don’t believe me? Just look at your appointment book. Everyone wants to spend time with you. An American Pet Products Association survey reported that 11.38 […]

General practitioners are the heart and soul of veterinary medicine, so stop discounting their career choice.

Teddy Roosevelt once said that complaining and not offering a solution is whining. Fair warning: I’m about to whine. I recently spoke with a brilliant, young fourth-year veterinary clinical student. She is smart, driven, compassionate and eager to make a difference. (Come to think of it, all veterinary and veterinary technician students are determined to […]

Consolidators who push profits first leave veterinary teams feeling neglected, leading to less-than-optimal pet care and reduced profits.

Consolidation, a normal part of the economy, has come to our profession. Consolidation tends to occur in any successful, fragmented, profitable, healthy industry that will benefit from investment and continued growth. Recent human health care examples include growth investments in urgent care, hospice and medical devices. I’ve had the good fortune to work in both […]

Forced to adjust amid the pandemic, we proved we’re capable of radical change. We can do a lot more, from pushing for portable licensure to embracing asynchronous learning.

Our profession, an industry known for its aversion to change, has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt, innovate and grow over the past few months. Historically, we’ve been the poster child for a belts and suspenders industry, one that’s exceedingly cautious, but in the face of crisis, we’ve learned much that will help us to […]

We have technology and wellness care down pat. So then, why are we so slow to empower veterinary nurses? They are capable of so much more. Doctors, it’s your move.

Meat Loaf the singer released his “Bat Out of Hell” signature album, the music of my youth, in 1977. (I know I’m old.) On the album was the power ballad “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” a great song and a sentiment I typically share. In the case of the pandemic, however, two out of […]

Under a subscription wellness plan, pets and their owners return time and again. Ongoing preventive care is great for the patient, good for compliance and a net gain for practices and their teams.

Secret formulas have been credited with the success of many well-known companies. Think Coca-Cola, KFC, Google with its algorithm and maybe Krusty Krab with its SpongeBob SquarePants Krabby Patty. What otherwise would have been pedestrian brands with limited potential instead became household names. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could mix up a secret formula […]

Successful, happy practice is more about commitment than compliance.

Consolidation, a normal occurrence in successful, fragmented, healthy, profitable industries, has come to our profession. I would argue that the positives outweigh the negatives. That said, most corporates don’t get one critical issue. The dominant consolidators in our profession come from the manufacturing sector, specifically the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. In CPG, efficient, repeatable, […]