Articles

This article originally appeared in Animal Health News and Views.  An impressive cadre of researchers, academicians and animal welfare leaders just published a peer-reviewed article in recent Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The authors hail from Colorado State University Animal-Human Policy Center, Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Denver Dumb Friends League, Bureau of Animal Protection…

The veterinary industry was years behind human medicine in establishing virtual patient relationships. Thankfully, the tide is turning. Telemedicine’s short history in U.S. animal health care began with the 2016 formation of the Veterinary Innovation Council. That year also saw the council issue Model Practice Act language and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards…

Originally published in Animal Health News and Views – https://animalhealthnewsandviews.com/analyzing-the-issues-surrounding-veterinary-team-member-classification/ Much discussion these days swirls around the broad topic of Veterinary team members, which breaks down into three categories: (1) Veterinary Technicians/Nurses, (2) Veterinary Technician Specialists, and (3) Mid-Level Professionals, often referred to as VPAs, which plays off the human healthcare Mid-professional PAs. These discussions are affected, of course, by the…

Originally published in Animal Health News and Views – https://animalhealthnewsandviews.com/one-person-can-make-a-difference/ If you permit, I’d like to share some news about a new employee of my Animal Policy Group, Samantha (“Sam”) Geiling, RVT, of Burnsville, Minnesota. Sam was just awarded Vet Tech of the Year by the national association, NAVTA. She became my Chief of Staff last June and earned this…

Originally Published in Todays Veterinary Business – https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/politics-and-policy-2023-1223/ With most legislative sessions closed and 2024 around the corner, let’s look at the governmental and regulatory trends that shaped policy in 2023. My team tracked almost 2,000 bills affecting the veterinary profession and animal welfare. As the workforce shortage becomes more acute, understanding which policy solutions…

Originally Published in Todays Veterinary Business – https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/veterinary-politics-and-policy-0224/ Following an up-and-down 2023, economic tailwinds are propelling the pet economy in the first quarter of 2024. Issues persist within the veterinary industry, and vigorous and open debate will hopefully lead to solutions over time. Let’s dive into topics that will occupy our attention through the end…

Originally published in Animal Health News and Views – https://animalhealthnewsandviews.com/it-all-comes-down-to-access-to-care/ 2023 ends in a few weeks. Was this the greatest year ever for Veterinary medicine? Probably not, still not the worst for sure. Let’s call it a mixed bag. The dynamics of pet healthcare are stable, but the future isn’t blooming with clarity. Let’s list…

Originally Published in Todays Veterinary Business – https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/dog-breeders-politics-policy-1023/ The human-animal bond is the center of everything “pet,” and there’s no better resource than HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute) to learn about its breadth and depth. Over the past 25 years, the bond has changed everything about Americans and their pets, especially dogs and cats.…

Originally published in Animal Health News and Views – https://animalhealthnewsandviews.com/more-thoughts-regarding-the-need-for-more-veterinarians/ My first column for this exciting new publication dove into the challenge of trying to solve the shortages of veterinarians in the United States, highlighting what we can learn from human healthcare’s 50-year battle with shortages. Unlike human medicine, we face an additional challenge in…

Opening up to eight more DVM programs won’t be enough to solve the veterinarian shortfall. The animal health industry, veterinary profession and pet owners largely acknowledge the acute, yearslong shortage of veterinarians. So how do we begin to reduce the shortfall? By finding ways to produce more professionals, which is what human health care has…