News briefs from around the profession: AI finds novel antibiotic; owners not impressed by help for blind dogs; equine obesity comes under spotlight; equine clinic starter kit; annual employer benefits survey; if it smells like frosting, it must be a t-shirt; signs of saltwater poisoning; summer marketing tips.
At the beginning of this year, many pet owners may have been unaware of the terms virtual care , telehealth , or connected care . But thanks to the global coronavirus pandemic, they certainly are aware of these services now. That’s significant because while telemedicine is being widely adopted in the human health care model, it’s been slower to catch on in the veterinary world because of difficulty of negotiating the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR), which mandates that veterinarians can’t diagnose or prescribe via electronic means unless they’ve previously seen the patient in the flesh.
Sometimes, the best community service emerges from the community itself. When that happens, partnerships are often formed that result in multiple wins. So it was for Eastside Animal Hospital in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter provide unprecedented opportunities to showcase your practice, but they’re also rife with unfair criticisms, venting, and bullying. While receiving harsh feedback—especially if it’s unfounded—about the practice you’ve worked so hard to cultivate can feel unsettling, it doesn’t have to be a death knell. By implementing a few simple social media practices, you can manage online negativity and even use it to your advantage.
Immediate Past President Darren Taul, DVM, talks social media strategy with a focus on setting and achieving goals. We highlight AAHA’s new Forensic Process Course on investigating animal cruelty cases; Dear AAHA answers a question on access to AAHA’s standards; free, RACE-approved culture lunch and learns; and a review of the AAHA pain management standards.
NAVTA launched its Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) in 2017, with the goal of promoting professional standards for education and expanding career potential for technicians. But the initiative has been somewhat controversial, and much of the VNI debate centers (and stalls) on the word nurse itself, even while VNI proponents say that is not the real focus of the initiative.
Cheryl Smith, CVPM, a director on the AAHA board, discusses the humanity in veterinary medicine in this time of social distancing. Other Inside AAHA content includes: Dear AAHA addresses an overheating technician; the hidden benefits of AAHA membership; and an obituary of Ray Pahle, AAHA past president.
News briefs from across the industry and beyond. This month’s articles include: Bad boss behavior; beyond random acts of wellness; make a new habit stick; Google team study; Banfield launches free suicide-prevention training; actions that set the tone for workplace culture; and how to disagree with someone more powerful than you.
Staff turnover is a larger problem in the veterinary profession compared with the rest of the country, Here are some stats to put things in perspective.
Most hospital managers or administrators don’t have the luxury of being a department of one focused exclusively on HR. Instead, HR is just one of the many hats they wear throughout their day. This article provides 10 tips for creating an HR strategy without having an HR manager.
