We know how hard you work to provide the highest quality of care to your patients and customer service to your clients. That's why we're so dedicated to providing you with the latest veterinary news right at your fingertips. 

Here's a quick glance at some of the content we'll be posting this week: 

why strong, personal client relationships

 are necessary to change attitudes and perceptions about veterinary care. 

A thought-provoking veterinary dilemma about how to 

An article about how to increase cash flow and decrease additional spending. 

A brand-new episode of The Vet Blast Podcast: Second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco chats with Dr Adam Christman about the importance of exotic veterinary care, plus his journey to zoo medicine. 

Stay tuned on dvm360.com for our most recent coverage of the veterinary industry.

Articles

Here's a sneak peek at this week's headlines.

This week on dvm360: Building stronger client relationships, plus more veterinary news

Practice owners and managers deal with client relationships every day, and investing in these relationships is a crucial part of business success. The veterinarian-client relationship isn’t just a part of veterinary practice; it is a key component in making sure our patients get the care they need.

Research shows that strong, personal client relationships are necessary to change attitudes and perceptions about veterinary care. A strong relationship often can determine whether a client brings their animal in for regular checkups, complies with treatment guidelines, or even accepts recommendations for pet products with an open mind. This means that at the end of the day, our ability to provide the best possible patient outcomes hinges on our relationship with an animal’s owner as well as our medical knowledge and skill.

A first step in building those strong relationships is understanding how our clients perceive veterinary care and what they’re looking for in a veterinarian. Here are some key findings from our research:

Not surprisingly, owners fundamentally care about their pet’s health and well-being. They see it as a responsibility to look after their pet, and they rely on their veterinarian to stay current and informed on how best to do that. They see value in veterinary care and, in general, are satisfied with the care they receive.

Veterinarians remain the most trusted adviser for pet owners. Even while clients are increasingly turning online to buy products that they used to get from their veterinarian, their ultimate loyalty is with the veterinarian. Lower prices and convenience drive the value proposition in e-commerce channels, but pet owners still feel more loyal to their veterinarian than to either a website or physical store.

Pet owners who have a regular veterinarian prioritize the benefits of this relationship—having a trusted advisor who really knows their pet—over price and convenience. These clients are influenced more by the veterinarian’s knowledge, quality of care, and compassion than by price or convenience (eg, location). On the other hand, pet owners who don’t have a regular veterinarian are more influenced by price and location.

30% of pet owners still don’t see their veterinarian on a regular basis. Reasons vary and include cost, the pet not being sick or having an emergency, and sometimes a perception that the price of veterinary care isn’t worth the value of services.

Pricing strategy for veterinary practices

Communicating the value of nutrition in pet health

We can focus on several areas in changing pet owners’ perceptions of veterinary care. First is emphasizing to pet owners that regular veterinary care isn’t just meant to treat an overt or visible medical condition. If we can increase compliance with guidelines for preventive care, we can keep their pets healthier and increase the opportunities for any medical issues to be detected early.

Regular wellness visits also provide a valuable opportunity for us to really get to know our patients and clients. Having a deep understanding of the animal’s history, behavior, and tendencies, as well as the client’s lifestyle, helps us provide personalized recommendations that increase the likelihood of compliance.

At the same time, regular visits allow us to lay the groundwork for a deeper veterinarian-client relationship—one that helps expand our role beyond the scope of medical provider, providing guidance in other important areas of care, such as food, behavior, exercise, and selection of pet products.

Research shows that one of the reasons animals don’t see a veterinarian regularly is because pet owners might feel they get the support and input they need from other providers, such as their groomer, trainer, dog walker, or local pet store. It’s important for clients to understand the value of the veterinarian’s expertise in all facets of their animal’s care. One example is food and nutrition. Discussing diet and nutrition during regular checkups can enhance clients’ understanding and attitudes toward the care we provide, and let them know they can rely on us to help with these decisions.

A stronger client relationship also allows for discussions around more sensitive topics, such as money. Having proactive and transparent conversations about cost of services and payment options is a critical part of building trust with our clients and helping ensure their pets get the care they need. Cost, we know, is a major reason why pets don’t see a veterinarian on a regular basis. Most pet owners aren’t aware of the options available when it comes to affording veterinary care—or that their veterinarian is someone with whom they can have these conversations.

How the customer’s brain impacts your business

 about pricing can influence how clients perceive veterinary care and the value we provide. The American Veterinary Medical Association website offers 

 to help you communicate with clients about pricing and includes information to implement flexible care and treatment options.

Fostering personal, loyal client relationships should be a core component of a veterinary practice’s business strategy. Your client relationships differentiate you from the competition and are the foundation for a strong client experience. Strong client relationships can lead to more consistent veterinary care, improved compliance, better patient outcomes, and loyal customers for your business.

Charlotte Hansen, MS, is assistant director of statistical analysis for the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division

Research highlights the connection between the veterinarian-client relationship and attitudes toward veterinary care.

Stronger client relationships are key to better patient care

What’s a good sign of a hospital design done right? For Scott Morey, DVM, MS, co-owner of Fenton River Veterinary Hospital in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, it’s driving around the entire veterinary practice before he leaves because that last, longing look isn’t enough to capture the full imagery.

“Every time I leave here, I pull out and look back at the building for a minute. I get that feeling of satisfaction, of having an idea and seeing it through to the finished product,” says Morey.

Set on 2.3 acres, the hospital features fully structural hammer-beam style timber framing, a wide front porch, and gable ends. Clapboard vertical barn board siding, carriage-house style garage doors, and an exterior lit with gooseneck light fixtures and lighting behind the timbers provide a warm ambiance.

Morey co-owns the practice with his wife Heidi Morey, MS, DVM, who spends most of her time working out of their original practice one town over.

The unique design doesn’t just catch Morey’s eye; it also impressed the judges of the 2021 

 Hospital Design Competition. Fenton River Veterinary Hospital earned top honors in the under-8,000-square-feet division of the competition.

Owners: Scott Morey, DVM, and Heidi Morey, DVM

Number of doctors: 4 full-time, 1 part-time

Structure type: New construction, freestanding

Morey and his wife initially launched their business as a mobile veterinary practice back in 2014. Business boomed and the couple found themselves quickly moving into a leasehold space the very next year. They’ve added on to the practice twice since then, due to the increasing demand for a large animal hospital. After looking into buildings to renovate or lease to no avail, the couple decided to build from scratch.

“The primary design objective was to create an upscale New England barn look with a warm ambiance while maintaining the feel of a modern hospital,” says Morey. “As a mixed animal practice, we needed both the inside and outside of the building to reflect the type of animals we’re caring for. We are cattle farmers and veterinarians at heart, which is reflected in the overall look of the hospital.”

To get started, Morey chose the shape and size of the building he wanted. He then worked with his architect to fit all the elements into the building in an efficient way. Morey wanted a wide reception area with plenty of space for clients to spread out upon entry—a design feature that serves Fenton River Veterinary Hospital well during these socially distanced pandemic days.

A custom-made inlayed logo is incorporated into the reception area floor. The entire floor is scratch-resistant, waterproof, and texture luxury vinyl planking.

Fully structural hammer-beam style timber framing lends authenticity to the barn style he chose. Friends from his youth who own a hammer-beam construction company helped make this design element come to fruition. As Morey puts it, “the beams you see aren’t just for decoration. Pull one down, and the building comes with it. They are truly structural.”

The wide front porch and gable offer a warm welcome to clients. Carriage house-style garage doors and gooseneck barn light accents complete the look. The large animal portion of the practice rests along the back of the hospital, offering easy access for these patients. In front of the large animal area sits surgery and treatment, with the exam rooms closer to the front of the hospital. This puts treatment and surgery between the 2 parts of the practice for convenience and as a buffer.

A unique surgery pass-through system came from an idea Morey had while working in his mobile truck. A tool drawer in the truck that can be opened from either side led to the idea for a passthrough drawer that can be accessed in surgery and in the treatment area, keeping tools organized and accessible.

Just because Morey wanted the hospital to look like a barn, doesn’t mean he wanted it to smell like one. With a good portion of his patients being large animals, smells and noises had a high possibility of making their way into the small animal and public areas of the hospital. For this reason, Morey made sure to pay special attention to odor and noise control features.

“We wanted to create an indoor, climate-controlled large animal facility (important for New England) for examination, hospitalization, and surgery,” he says. “We also made sure that surgery was close to the large animals’ area so that pigs, sheep, and goats can be easily moved in and out of the surgical suite. Even farm animals deserve to be operated on in a clean surgery room, thus improving the quality of medicine and surgery we provide.”

An indoor, climate-controlled area allows for examination, hospitalization, and surgery of large animals, something that was desperately needed in the new hospital. “Even farm animals deserve to be operated on in a clean surgery room,” Morey says.

The couple included an engineered heat, ventilation, and air conditioning system with 6 zones designed specifically for odor and animal health. There are high-efficiency air exchangers in each zone and the large animal room has an oversized air exchanger and exhaust fan system. The large animal zone is also heated with a propane radiant tube heater.

“High-efficiency air exchangers for each zone with varying fresh air intakes depending on the type of area serviced allows us to balance efficiency with odor and animal health,” he says. “All animal areas are on their own zones with air returns placed away from odor-producing areas. This allows client areas to not share any air with odor-producing areas. We also have a total of 20 exhaust fans throughout the building.”

With odors well under control, they went a step further to ensure noises also stay contained. Soundproof insulation in all interior walls, including the walls above the drop ceilings, helps minimize sound. Solid-core doors throughout the building help keep large animal sounds from carrying throughout the building, and dog barks from hitting clients’ ears.

As a voice of experience, Morey recommends that those who are looking to build to do their homework first.

Take a look at plans and photos of other hospitals and write down all the ideas that you like. Morey has read all of the 

 Hospital Design articles for the last 15 years; purchased floor plan books from 

 and has visited numerous hospitals to see what works.

“And don’t forget to ask other veterinarians what they hate as well!” he says. “I looked at a lot of online floor plans of veterinary practices and photos of lobbies, exam rooms, and treatment areas. I also talked to as many other veterinarians that I could about their facilities and what they wished they had or could change. Knowing what doesn’t work is just as helpful as knowing what does.”

Custom-built cabinetry through the hospital, especially in treatment, keeps the area tidy and all tools conveniently located. “We utilized every wall space we could for cabinets that store all of our equipment, keeping our countertops clean and ready to work all the time,” says Morey. “There are unique gull-wing door cabinets above the cage bank that store our patient warm-air heaters so they don't have to sit on the floor.”

With that said, he cautions that what you choose to build is a personal decision that must be made for your practice alone. “I truly think that veterinary hospitals should be designed to best fit the flow of the veterinarians working there. So just because another hospital has a certain plan or idea doesn't mean it will benefit your personal workflow.“

In the end, Morey says he got the barn-look hospital that suits his practice best with a convenient floor plan, great odor, and noise control, features that make practice easy, and loads of style. Best of all, it’s a place that showcases the kind of medicine these doctors practice.

“That warm-home feeling that our building gives off is the same feeling our doctors and technicians have for our patients and clients,” says Morey. “The people who work here feel good about the place; the building is a tool that makes delivering our care easier and spreads the message to the public about how we care for our clients and patients.”

Sarah A. Moser is a freelance writer in Lenexa, Kan.

Warmth and charm welcome clients like family into this quick-growing Connecticut mixed animal practice.

Upscale barn aesthetic serves up modern medicine

Happy Friday! We know you're busy. That's why remain dedicated to providing you with the latest and greatest veterinary news right at your fingertips.

To jumpstart the weekend, here's a look at this week's top headlines:

A recent Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) 

 revealed unintended bias in veterinary school admissions processes.

announced the second year of its Steve Marton Veterinary Student Scholarship

, which awards one first- or second-year veterinary student up to $50,000 towards their annual tuition fees.

, Dr Adam Christman is joined by Dr Chris Pachel who provides useful tips about discussing behavior recommendations and modifications with overwhelmed clients.

The Vet Recruiter founder and her team recently 

, a recruitment firm designed to help fill C-suite and board of directors positions within the animal health and veterinary technology industries.

, which helps expand free veterinary care to pets with homeless owners and street pets.

Stay tuned on social media and dvm360.com for more veterinary news.

News-wrap up: This week’s veterinary headlines, plus shedding light on bias in admissions processes

Due to the constant uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many people, including your clients, are emotionally overwhelmed. When an anxious pet owner steps into your clinic, offering behavior recommendations can feel like a daunting task, especially when you’re strapped for time.

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast veterinary behavioralist Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, says the best way to approach these clients is by asking them what advice would be most meaningful.

“To me, this is such an important detail for us to nail down because I can give 300 resources, but the average client doesn’t have the time, bandwidth, or the comprehension to make sense of all that information without some guidance,” he tells Adam Christman, DVM, MBA.

Find out if clients are looking for a referral to a trainer? Or maybe, they just want you to listen to their concerns and devote extra time to correcting a certain behavior. Overall, finding out what matters most to the client in that given moment in time will help ease anxiety and save time for everyone.

For clients who struggle with communicating or aren’t sure what they’re looking for, Pachel recommends showing them a video, handing them a handout, and connecting them with a technician and/or trainer who can best address their current situation, instead of going through 20 to 30 minutes of dialogue and recommendations.

“Chances are neither you nor the client has the time, so we triage it just like we do everything else,” he says.

Listen below for more on triaging behavior recommendations and pet behavior modification advice.

Podcasts

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Dr Christman is joined by Dr Chris Pachel as they discuss some helpful nuggets for communicating with on-edge clients about behavior recommendations.

Episode 47: Tips for triaging behavior recommendations for overwhelmed clients

Veterinary education involves more than just acquiring special knowledge and skills but must also convey a broad array of values, attitudes, and behaviors that cannot be taught using the didactic curriculum. Mentoring, a crucial part of veterinary education, is more vital than ever as the profession continues to experience major socioeconomic challenges.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted financial resources for higher education. Just like other professional schools, veterinary colleges were forced to shift most of their curriculum from in-person to online. Given the ongoing budget cuts, it’s no surprise that virtual teaching continues to monopolize veterinary education today. However, the increasingly remote connection between students and teachers is a major concern—not only in the clinical disciplines— but in biomedical sciences as well. The veterinary colleges must do more than transmit information and ensure that students participate actively in their professional education and training.

In my limited discussions, many veterinary students say they have supportive online instructors but admit that the lack of in-person interaction with teachers and fellow classmates is a significant deficiency in their education.

Students are unique individuals conditioned by a variety of past cultural experiences. Optimal opportunities for personal development require a flexible support system that offers effective in-person relationships with mentors who can guide students through the educational process. All students must cope with pressures, personal life disruptions, and in some cases, excessive educational debts. These issues demonstrate a dire need for mental health counseling as part of the mentoring process.

We tend to think of the mentor-mentee relationship as one-sided, but it is (or should be) a partnership. For me, there was nothing more rewarding than discussing contemporary issues with younger colleagues, many of whom had keener minds than myself. This “reverse mentoring” allowed me to gain new perspectives that changed my thinking and improved my leadership capabilities.

Developing a comprehensive mentoring program isn’t easy and might be approached differently by various institutions depending on the number of available advisors, budget limits, and more. Most colleges engage veterinarians outside the university—in general practice, government agencies, and corporate organizations —to serve as teachers and mentors in clinical rotations. Student engagement in the real world is a unique form of educational mentoring that may include business and political experience.

The willingness of busy faculty members and practitioners to devote significant time and energy to students’ general professional education will depend on whether or not their contributions are recognized and rewarded. In this regard, the values and attitudes of deans and department heads can be more important than the mere numerical assessment of teaching effectiveness. Strong collegiate leadership and dedicated resources are necessary for successful mentoring.

Veterinary education as we once knew it is gone and not coming back anytime soon. Irresistible changes are already overtaking us with high stakes. As we move forward, we have an unquestionable duty to maintain the excellent scientific and technical education that is the acknowledged strength of the current system. However, we must also fortify the professional development of veterinary students so they can make the best possible contributions to the field in the future.

Peter Eyre, DVM&S, BVMS, BSc, PhD, is professor and dean emeritus at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary in Blacksburg, Virginia.

“Education is what remains when you have forgotten all the facts you ever learned.”
—Albert Einstein
