Law & Ethics

Legislators are crafting a bill, "National Veterinary Medical Service Act, that if passed, would create a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide loan repayment for a select group of veterinary students - those who agree to work in underserved areas. The legislature would define which areas would qualify.

Tampa, Fla.- As veterinary officials stymie a Colorado bill granting pet owners up to $100,000 for loss of companionship claims, nationwide debate concerning the legal status of pets brews. One by one, America's courts are considering emotional distress and wrongful death lawsuits as pet owners and trial lawyers attempt to raise the value of pets to more than property - a move promising to alter how the country practices and pays for veterinary care.

Columbus-A leading veterinary neurologist, equally celebrated and denigrated for his progressive study of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), is departing The Ohio State University (OSU). Expected to leave this summer, Dr. Michael Podell - regarded as a "highly brilliant" veterinary clinician and investigator - says his decision to leave is three-fold,

Faces in the field

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has appointed a recent Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine grad as a veterinary medical officer.

In the lab

Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have teamed with the University of Alabama and Rutgers University to study and identify specific types of mosquitoes most likely to transmit the West Nile virus.

New York-Animal News Center, a not-for-profit organization promoting animal welfare, has created a new Web site featuring stories on pets and wildlife as well as editorials on animal-related issues.

In last month's article, we looked at various ways to free-up more of the veterinary clinic budget by saving on discretionary legal and accounting fees. This month, I will point out some beneficial ways to spend some of that free cash in order to maximize the economic productivity of the practice.