Covetrus Connected Care Covetrus

Which of today’s technologies could make a meaningful impact on the health of your patients and your practice? We invite you to listen to an encore presentation of our interview with Eric Garcia*, an internationally recognized digital and information technology strategist who works exclusively with veterinary practices.
Addressing the demands of today’s pet parents can seem daunting, and expanding your staff may not be an option. This episode outlines three technological changes that can make a measurable impact on your veterinary practice, your team and your pet patients.
In this episode, Eric guides us through the current state of the industry. To meet today’s demands and prep for the future, he encourages practices to consider technological changes before hiring.
“I always tell practices that before you look at adding more bodies into your practice, look and see what you can do to make your practice more efficient, to make sure that you're using the right technology,” Eric says in the episode.
He also offers three practical steps to help team members to be more accepting of new technologies — so you can take advantage of today's opportunities.
You can follow Eric anywhere on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn using the handle @EricGarciaFL.
*Eric was compensated for his insights.
 

As the world of veterinary medicine evolves, how do veterinary practitioners make sense of emerging trends and market forces so that more pets and practices thrive?
In this episode, Dr. Lori Teller answers practitioners' most pressing questions on the present and future of veterinary medicine. Dr. Teller, past President of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Clinical Professor of Telehealth at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, offers expert advice on:
Workforce issues
Diversity in veterinary medicine
Telemedicine
Artificial intelligence
Practice technology
If you’re curious about trends involving today’s top-of-mind issues and opportunities, then this episode is not to be missed.
Resources:
Dr. Lori Teller: https://www.avma.org/about/avma-board-of-directors/lori-m-teller-dvm-dabvp-caninefeline-cvj
Journey for Teams: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/diversity-and-inclusion-veterinary-medicine/journey-teams
MentorVet Connect: https://www.mentorvet.net/connect

The power of the human animal bond makes pet parents feel passionate about their furry family members. When the subject turns to health-related costs, the result can be emotionally charged conversations, particularly when budgets are tight and treatment decisions become life or death. How can veterinary teams successfully navigate these conversations to benefit patients, clients and practitioners?
In this episode of Covetrus® Connected Care, Jonathan Wainberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Pet at CareCredit®, a Synchrony solution, shares helpful tools and integrated solutions that veterinarians can offer and use to support pet parents when unexpected costs arise. Wainberg also shares research on client communication, done in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), outlining how veterinary staff can more effectively talk about pet care costs.
Resources
Communicating with clients: Using the right language to improve care | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org)
Lifetime of Care Study
CareCredit 

We know animals are good for us. Animal interaction, for example, releases powerful hormones that lower blood pressure and induce relaxation, among other benefits.
When it comes to understanding the human-animal bond, Dr. Maggie O'Haire, Associate Dean for Research and Professor at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally recognized scholar in the field. Her research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals and has been highlighted in more than 1,000 media stories globally.
This episode dives into the latest research on the emerging role of the human-animal bond on the well-being of veterans, children with autism, and hospital staff. Dr. O'Haire describes how:
Service animals can complement traditional PTSD therapy for veterans by reducing PTSD symptoms and panic attacks and normalizing stress-hormone levels
Children with autism demonstrated more social behaviors and less "anxious activation" when paired with service animals
Hospital staff who were experiencing stress and burnout reported greater feelings of accomplishment at work and less desire to switch jobs with a facility-dog program
Dr. O'Haire also touches on the important work Covetrus® is supporting so that service dogs get the preventive care they need to live long, healthy lives.
Find out more about Dr. O'Haire:
https://vetmed.arizona.edu/person/maggie-ohaire-phd
Follow Covetrus on:
LinkedIn
YouTube

The veterinary community is increasingly turning its attention to the role of mental health in the workplace. Psychological well-being impacts everything from productivity to morale to safety, yet busy veterinary practices may be unsure how to best support staff mental health and well-being.
Our guest, Angie Arora, MSW, RSW, offers practical solutions to help practices foster psychologically healthy and safe workplaces. Angie is a Veterinary Social Worker, Well-being Coach and Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist. She specializes in veterinary well-being, end-of-life and pet loss support, and equity issues in veterinary medicine.
Angie outlines the conditions and environment that give rise to burnout and poor mental well-being in veterinary medicine. And she shares strategies and practical tools to positively support employees’ psychological well-being in the workplace.
Find Angie at www.angiearora.com and on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/angiearora and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veterinarywellbeingcoach/
Watch podcast outtakes on YouTube: Covetrus® Connected Care
Follow Covetrus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/covetrus

Do staffing and retention keep you up at night? We invite you to listen to this previously released episode with Matt Salois, the former chief economist at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).  
Be sure to follow the podcast and look for a new episode next month.  
The Veterinary Workforce Crisis: What's Behind It and How Do We Move Beyond It? 
A trained economist, Matt Salois is a pro at parsing the latest veterinary industry data on employment, productivity and employee well-being. Salois is President of Veterinary Management Groups, where he's charged with enhancing the economic and cultural success of more than 1,800 veterinary member practices.   
In this episode of Covetrus® Connected Care, Salois makes sense of the real-life reality behind the numbers — normalizing visits, high turnover and burnout. For practices looking to tackle today's challenges, Salois cautions against investing solely in a bigger pipeline of veterinary talent. With a deeply knowledgeable and optimistic outlook, he offers concrete steps to begin to remedy systemic issues, such as turnover, low productivity and poor mental health among veterinary practitioners.   
The ultimate goal? To help practices achieve a more sustainable business model, connect more deeply as a workforce and with clients, and improve animal health. 
Resources: 
Veterinary Management Groups 
Matt Salois