Despite the availability of veterinary specialty services, many general practitioners are still hesitant to refer cases, often because they feel they will have failed as a veterinarian if they cannot solve their patient’s problem, fear losing practice or production revenue, or assume clients cannot or do not want to hear about more expensive options. In [...]
Human medicine has undergone a progressive departmentalization and specialization process, which provides for greater advancements and patient care options. The primary care physician still plays an integral role, especially in systems requiring referrals and coordination of care. More and more clients are demanding this high-level care for their pets, understanding that specialists can provide better [...]
Veterinarians today are facing more barriers to professional and personal happiness—compassion fatigue, burnout, mental health issues, mountainous debt, skyrocketing inflation—you name it, and it's a veterinary community problem. However, veterinarians also are now fortunate to have more business than they can handle, which allows for tremendous growth and the development of innovative solutions and new [...]
Veterinary specialists are in short supply, according to a 2018 JAVMA article and the anecdotal experience of many veterinary professionals. JAVMA pointed out that many graduating veterinary students apply for internships and residencies, but most aren’t lucky enough to match with a program and are forced to re-evaluate their career goals. Those who are accepted [...]
Millennial pet owners confirmed in a recent survey what most of us already knew—the human-animal bond is becoming stronger and pet owners consider their pets as family members, not simply possessions or companions. The survey also showed that 42% preferred cuddling with their pets over their romantic partners, 84% worry about their pets when they’re [...]
Veterinary specialty practice, which was once confined to teaching hospitals and universities, has been growing since the 1980s and is now widespread and commonplace. As younger pet-owning generations become accustomed to specialty offerings and demand higher, human-medicine-level care, veterinary specialty medicine continues to expand and provide ever-advancing diagnostics and treatments. Some clients, primarily older generations [...]
Stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue are long-overused buzzwords in the veterinary space, but mental health has become a more serious concern only recently. Recent veterinary wellbeing and burnout studies show veterinary suicide rates are rising, and veterinary staff are burning out faster than human physicians and most other professions. Stressed and burned-out staff who cannot [...]
The primary goal of collaborative veterinary care is to promote and advocate for the patient’s best interest, but the referral process can sometimes result in less-than-desirable outcomes if relationships between primary and referral veterinarians are strained. Tension is mainly because of confusion over which veterinarian is responsible for patient or client care tasks during the [...]
Determining the best time to refer veterinary patients to a specialist is not always easy or straightforward. Sometimes the need is clear, such as cases requiring advanced imaging, surgery, or procedures you’ve never performed. Other cases seem manageable at first, but may benefit from referral if the patient no longer responds to treatment or their [...]
The primary care-specialist veterinarian partnership should focus on collaboration that improves patient care and client experience, but these relationships are often strained because of poor communication, undesirable case outcomes, and client experience. Many factors influence the primary veterinarian’s decision to refer, but addressing these concerns can help you win over your local rDVMs, gain more [...]
