For the 30 years I've been a veterinarian, I've heard we don't have too few doctors; we have too many veterinary hospitals,"
says Dr. Dennis Cloud, owner of Cloud Veterinary Center in St. Louis, Mo., and a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member. While dramatic change is never an overnight event, the winds are blowing; Dr. Cloud's sentiments
echo those of many in the veterinary profession, spurring the question: What practice models will define the future of the
profession?
"I don't think anybody knows what the definitive model of the future will be," says Dr. Cloud. "In the past, the model was
fairly easy. A veterinarian said, 'I want to own and direct a three- or four-doctor AAHA-certified facility.' That was the
dream." But with increasing focus on the growing complexity of practice—and the need for healthy life balance—it's no longer
safe to say that's the dream for the majority of veterinarians.
An owners perspective: Take cost away from veterinarians
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While Dr. Cloud thinks well-located, dynamic, solo practices—niche hospitals—will persist, he sees a stronger trend toward
consolidation. Within one mile of his latest practice, there are three other small animal practices—each technologically competent,
practicing high-quality medicine, and well-managed.
Dr. Cloud says he's certain profitability would improve if all four of these practices were working out of the same facility.
The facility would achieve economies of scale and even greater technological competence, and it would be open 24 hours. "The
idea is slowly evolving that if we have fewer buildings, we'll have greater profitability," he says. Factors driving the changing model
A male graduate recently wrote Veterinary Economics with this provocative complaint about the quality of life for new members of the profession: "I'm rebelling against the business
paradigm created by the previous generation of veterinarians, where the answer to everything is to work harder and work longer."
Looking ahead: Issues future models should address
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Strong words. While war stories of solo practice became legend in the formerly male-dominated profession, young female graduates
in particular, and new graduates in general, aren't buying the wisdom of the 70-hour workweek. The 2002 Veterinary Economics Gender and Pay Study suggests the depth of gender dissatisfaction with the demands of a previous generation. Of the 446 female
veterinarians responding, 63 percent thought raising a family would clash with the rigors of being a veterinarian, damaging
their potential earning power.
So does a practice model exist that will allow this new generation of doctors to practice high-quality medicine, enjoy a healthy
personal life, and still make a good living? Dr. Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, CVPM, a consultant at Brakke Consulting Inc. in Dallas
and a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member, laughs a little at the question.
"Everybody wants to have it all," she says. "While new models are definitely possible, I don't think we're utilizing the old
model to its fullest. And regardless of the model, you need to invest in a period of hard work before you start living the
dream." (See "Getting More From Any Model".)
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