AVMA LIFE, PLIT unify efforts under umbrella trustJanuary 18, 2018Two cornerstones of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), AVMA LIFE and AVMA PLIT, announced they are unifying efforts under an umbrella trust. "This is an important step as we continue to focus on providing ongoing value to our members," said Michael Topper, DVM. "As AVMA President, my overarching desire has been to build on past progress for a stronger future for all veterinarians and those they serve. I have no doubt that members of AVMA, AVMA LIFE, and AVMA PLIT will experience enhanced services as a result of this new structure." The collaborative formation of the umbrella trust will continue to evolve toward full unification. Seven trustees will be appointed to the new umbrella trust; these same seven will serve as the trustees on the AVMA LIFE and AVMA PLIT boards. Of these seven, two will be current trustees from AVMA LIFE, two will be current trustees of AVMA PLIT, and three will be new appointees. "This approach ensures synergy and sound strategic direction while maintaining excellent service delivery to members," said Janet Donlin, DVM, CAE, AVMA executive vice president and CEO. "Our focus has been and will always be on providing excellent service and value …
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AAVMC names Jennifer Hodgson as veterinary teaching award recipientJanuary 18, 2018The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) named Jennifer Hodgson, BVSC, DIP VET PATH, Ph.D., DACVIM, from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) as the recipient of the 2017 AAVMC Distinguished Teacher Award, presented by Zoetis. The award, considered one of the most prestigious teaching awards in international academic veterinary medicine, recognizes excellence in professional veterinary medical education and is presented to an educator whose sustained record of teaching excellence and ability, dedication, character, and leadership has contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession. Dr. Hodgson is associate dean for professional programs, where she is responsible for all academic and student affairs relating to Virginia-Maryland's DVM program. She is also a professor of population health sciences who teaches bacteriology and mycology in the DVM curriculum. "Dr. Hodgson represents the very best of what thousands of outstanding educators and researchers bring to their work every day in our member institutions," said AAVMC CEO Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM, JD, MPH. "We're pleased to be able to recognize her outstanding achievements and contributions through our awards program and look forward to honoring her publicly during our 2018 annual conference." Hodgson is active in the North American …
Survey reveals cat-friendly practices rate high in client satisfactionJanuary 18, 2018The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) announced the results of its 2017 Cat Friendly Practice® (CFP) Survey, which provides an in-depth look at the effect the program has on feline healthcare and the veterinary industry. The 2017 survey revealed a 99 percent satisfaction rate among participants and that the program continues to grow and positively influence veterinary care for cats, caregivers, and veterinary teams. What the survey said 98 percent would recommend the CFP program to other veterinary professionals. 92 percent state the CFP program has positively impacted their team morale when handling, treating, and caring for cats. Many practices said they are now more confident when working with cats, and their teams have adopted the use of cat-friendly techniques to reduce stress during the visit. 91 percent reported an improvement in feline knowledge and care among practice team members. Many practices noticed a great improvement in staff understanding of feline behavior, feline-friendly handling, and ability to read a cat's body language. 80 percentreceived positive feedback from clients on implementing the program. 80 percent have increased visits because they are a CFP. 79 percent report increased practice revenue since implementing the CFP program. 75 percentstate the acquisition of new feline patients due to their CFP …
Nationwide data shows pet obesity continues to balloonJanuary 17, 2018Data from Nationwide reveals that pet obesity is on the rise for the seventh straight year. Last year, the company's members filed 1.4 million pet insurance claims for conditions and diseases related to pet obesity—equaling a sum of more than $62 million in veterinary expenses. The boost in obesity-related claims signifies a 24 percent growth over the last four years. The company recently sorted through its database of more than 630,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 most common dog and cat obesity-related conditions (see chart). In 2016, Nationwide received more than 51,000 pet insurance claims for osteoarthritis in canines, the most common disease aggravated by excessive weight, which carried an average treatment fee of $310 per pet. With more than 5,000 pet insurance claims, cystitis or urinary tract disease was the most common obesity-related condition in cats, which had an average claim amount of $443 per pet.
Pathway veterinary management group relocates to Austin, TexasJanuary 17, 2018Pathway, a national veterinary management group serving US pets and pet owners, announced the relocation of its support team to a 15,500-square-foot office space in downtown Austin, Texas. "Having our offices in Austin's dynamic downtown will enable us to foster and grow the vibrant culture we've created," said Stephen Hadley, DVM, CEO. "This will allow us to continue offering support to our ever-expanding teams nationwide and aid in increasing the local appeal of our fast-growing company." In 2017, the company added nearly 100 hospitals for a total of more than 125 locations throughout the U.S. Additionally, the company added more than 800 employees, growing to over 2,500 employees in total.
Phoenix Lab to offer Giardia Vet Chek from TechLabJanuary 12, 2018TechLab Inc., a developer and manufacturer of rapid noninvasive diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal diseases, announced that Phoenix Lab will be one of the first veterinary reference labs in the Pacific Northwest to offer Giardia Vet Chek test to customers. "For more than 28 years, Phoenix Lab's mission has been to bring the best science and best service to our veterinary community in the Pacific Northwest region," said Faye Sturtevant, DVM, Ph.D. and CEO at Phoenix Lab. "We are excited to add TechLab to our menu of clinical veterinary testing, which aligns with our vision to partner with best-in-class companies as we expand nationally." The Giardia Vet Chek test is an automatable enzyme immunoassay optimized for canine and feline fecal samples to aid in the diagnosis of giardiasis. The test is the first TechLab product to be manufactured under the company's USDA establishment license.
Petplan to hold veterinary clinic business strategy speaker seriesJanuary 12, 2018Petplan pet insurance announced it will hold its Business of Veterinary Medicine Conference in partnership with VMX on Feb. 2. The speaker series is designed to help independent veterinary practice owners answer the challenge posed by the increase in marketing-savvy, corporate-owned hospital networks. "Practice owners are becoming more aware of the need to pay attention to the business side of veterinary medicine," said Andy Roark, DVM, an industry speaker, author, and media personality who Petplan partnered with to develop the series. "The rise of corporate practices are really forcing business to the forefront." According to Dr. Roark, the most important business principles that practice owners and staff should focus on are strategy (where they are going as a practice), operations (efficiency in providing services), marketing (how to tell their story to find clients), and client experience (how the practice makes people feel). "Vets have always done a good job with operations and efficiency," Roark said. "The area that has the potential to make the biggest impact now is a practice's specific strategy for its clientele. Veterinarians are coming to the understanding that different clients want different things, and they can't be all things to all people. Practice …
AVMA publishes cannabis resource for membersJanuary 12, 2018A new document available exclusively to American Veterinary Medical Association members provides comprehensive background information to help veterinary professionals understand the legal aspects of cannabis use in animals; field questions and advise clients who are interested in marijuana therapies for their pets; and identify toxic exposures. Cannabis: What Veterinarians Need to Know addresses such topics as the legal status of medicinal marijuana in veterinary medicine, how cannabinoids function, marijuana risks to pets, clinical signs and treatment of acute marijuana toxicosis, and effects of chronic marijuana exposure. Available on the Cannabis Use and Pets page of the AVMA's website, the document is the first in a series of related materials the association is developing as a resource for its members. Future tools will include information on medicinal marijuana in pets, and educational materials clinicians can share directly with clients.
Ohio economy reaps billions from veterinary fieldJanuary 10, 2018Veterinary medicine contributes $13 billion annually in direct and supporting services to Ohio's economy, according to a 2017 economic analysis by Regionomics LLC, which researched veterinary medicine's impact in economic activity and employment contributions to the Buckeye State. The study, a collaborative effort between the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), found that veterinary services in Ohio contribute $2.4 billion in direct economic output while sustaining more than 23,000 jobs. Support of animal-related industries, including agricultural production, reflects an additional $10.6 billion in annual economic activity. "Veterinary medicine supports Ohio's economy and communities in a variety of substantive ways, including agriculture, research, and human health," said Rustin Moore, DVM, Ph.D., DACVS, Ohio State CVM dean. "As the only college of veterinary medicine in Ohio, we are proud of the role we play in direct economic activity, supporting the efforts of veterinary practitioners, and advancing the economic health of all animal care-related industries in Ohio." Veterinarians work in a variety of disciplines impacting economic growth and job creation beyond caring for companion animals. Areas …
Zoetis appoints US Diagnostics executive director and chief medical officerJanuary 10, 2018Zoetis has appointed Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA to the position of executive director and chief medical officer, US Diagnostics, effective Feb. 5. Dr. Goldstein will lead the diagnostics team in expanding its product portfolio and will spearhead the division's studies and publishing opportunities. "Dr. Goldstein is a well-respected, internationally-renowned veterinarian in small animal internal medicine and we're honored to have him join our Zoetis team," said Lisa Lee, vice president, US Diagnostics and Business Solutions, Zoetis. "His award-winning work, research, and passion for preventing genetic and infectious diseases make him an ideal fit for our company as we continue to develop innovative technologies and solutions to diagnose disease as well as treat and improve the lives of pets." In his role at Zoetis, Goldstein will work closely with the US Companion Animal Division to develop educational events for sales and marketing, while leading the company's "Predict, Prevent, Detect and Treat" strategy. He also will manage the Key Opinion Leader program. Goldstein and his team will continue to emphasize digital innovation, diagnostics, genetic tests, and biodevices as important tools to help veterinarians make better healthcare decisions informed by data. Prior to joining Zoetis, Goldstein spent 12 …
