Decades ago, the general practice veterinarian was a jack-of-all-trades who provided comprehensive care across all disciplines. Since that time, many veterinary specialties have rapidly emerged to offer pets an advanced care level similar to human health care. With all the specialty care now available, today’s pet owners, who are much more invested in their pets, [...]
Clients usually are stressed when their pet needs specialty care for a serious or chronic condition, and their experience with your practice can determine whether they return, and whether their primary veterinarian will continue to refer new cases. In addition to ensuring that clients are happy with their pet’s care, feel they received good value [...]
General practice veterinarians see a huge case variety each day, from puppies and kittens, to sick pets, to surgeries, to preventive care, and everything in between. You were trained to handle everything that walks through your practice door, but sometimes you need a little extra help. Determining some cases that need referral, such as specialized [...]
Nothing is more important for a veterinary specialist than fostering good, lasting relationships with their referral partners. We all know relationships take work, but focusing on a few key strategies can help you build and maintain your referral network without feeling overstretched. A good first step is joining VESPECON’s specialist network—we can connect you directly [...]
General practice veterinarians form close relationships over the years and come to know their clients and patients well. This trusting bond is key to providing the best possible care for pets. Sometimes, this standard of care requires referral to and collaboration with a specialist for the best outcomes for complex cases, rather than the primary [...]
The past few years have been challenging for the entire veterinary profession, because the global pandemic has exacerbated staffing and burnout issues, hampered efficiency, and skyrocketed the demand for care. While many pandemic-era precautions have now been retired, increased appointment demand remains. General practice veterinarians are overwhelmed, leading them to refer more cases to emergency [...]
In 2018, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) discussed the veterinary specialist shortage, citing growing demand and lack of sufficient residency programs as the causes. Between 2010 and 2017, an additional 47% of specialists joined the workforce, but the percentage was not enough to fill the available openings in universities and private practices. Of the [...]
Veterinary hospitals spend between 0.5% to 5% of their annual revenue on marketing, and the percentage can be higher in years during which they make large expenditures, such as for building a new website. As a veterinary specialist in a small, private practice, marketing can eat up a lot of your time, energy, and money, [...]
When a general practice (GP) veterinarian is considering the complex decision of referring a patient to a specialist, they naturally want to focus on the pet’s best interests. However, they must consider other factors, including client and practice finances, and their own abilities. Rather than being collaborative, the specialist-GP veterinarian relationship tends to be competitive, [...]
Veterinary specialists rely on referrals and marketing to gain new clients and patients, but most specialists are located in metropolitan areas, and have limited reach to rural clients. Pets in rural areas need specialty care, too, but clients may be unaware that these services are available, if they’re willing to travel. Referring veterinarians are key [...]
