2019 Annual Meeting & Conference

Harnessing Your Power to Create Change
Speaker: Derreck Kayongo

As Founder of the Global Soap Project, Kayongo has built a multi-million dollar venture which takes recycled soap and distributes it through global health programs to people who lack access to it around the world. He breaks down the key factors that have led to his personal success; (S.E.L.F.) Service, Education, Leadership and Faith and shares his account of life as a Ugandan refugee and the turning point which lead him to a brilliant transformation as a social entrepreneur. He calls upon audiences to stop complaining and to start taking responsibility, to consistently seek opportunities to improve, and most importantly, to maintain faith in yourself and your team to create an environment where everyone is empowered to thrive. He brings you on an emotional journey – there will be tears of joy; most of the time, laughter. But every time, the story is real.

Track A: Protecting the Practice, Managing Risk
Speaker: Nina Mouledous, DVM

This session focuses on what veterinary practices need from a business insurance perspective to protect their business, employees, and clients. Veterinary practices have unique risks and it is important to know if you are properly insured-for example do your policies cover volunteers or veterinary students working in your practice? Safety training and resources to prevent workers’ comp injuries will be discussed. Coverage for disasters/disaster planning will also be included. Actual veterinary business claims will be used to highlight the most common risks.

Track B: De-Escalation Techniques for Clients, Part 2
Speaker: Judith Asseo, CVPM

These interactive sessions teach de-escalation skills through the presentation of information, activities, videos, and discussion. The presentation defines and explains de-escalation as an intervention that reduces the intensity of a conflict. The session details what these interventions look like in the veterinary setting and breaks down the skills in teachable pieces. Participants will practice the basic skills that are effective in de-escalating an emotional/upset client in a safe and supportive environment. De-escalation concepts will be discussed.

We work in an environment where many of our clients are arriving at our hospital in a stressed state. We should expect and be prepared for these clients. The objective for these sessions is to provide tangible tools, so that team members gain skills and confidence in working with emotional clients. De-escalation can improve safety in the workplace, better meet the emotional needs of clients, equip employees with the tools and confidence to address emotionally charged situations and improve client/provider relationships.

Track C: Profit and Loss Statements are a Gift!
Speaker: Amy Kelley-Williams, MBA, CVPM

Yes, profit and loss (P&L) statements are a gift to your veterinary hospital! BUT-you have to know what to do with them. This session will focus on strategies that will help you deliver improved results using your P&L. We’ll focus on four main categories: revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), labor/payroll, and earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITDA).

Track D: Culture-A Paradigm Shift, Part 1
Speaker: Jennifer Hock, M.S.S.L., DEL

As a leader of the hospital, it should be one’s intention to bring individuals together on a common platform and motivate them to deliver their best every day. It is essential for a team to enjoy their workplace and develop a sense of loyalty to it. The hospital’s culture plays a significant role in extracting the best out of a team. Culture enables a team to function and perform while moving in a forward direction. Some have had the privilege of creating a culture from the practice’s inception, while others have inherited an existing culture. In either case, a hospital’s culture is the collective environmental mechanism that moves the hospital from day-to-day. Although leadership and management are codependent, one cannot manage their way to a healthy culture; it must be led.

Track A: Avoiding Workplace Investigation Missteps
Speaker: Eric Meyer, Esq.

Managers who have had the unenviable task of conducting a workplace investigation understand that it is critical that the probe be handled correctly to avoid legal complications. This presentation will highlight the do’s and don’ts of carrying out an inquiry. The presenter will also share with participants what employment attorneys wish managers would do to protect their practices. 

Track B: De-Escalation Techniques for Clients, Part 1
Speaker: Judith Asseo, CVPM

These interactive sessions teach de-escalation skills through the presentation of information, activities, videos, and discussion. The presentation defines and explains de-escalation as an intervention that reduces the intensity of a conflict. The session details what these interventions look like in the veterinary setting and breaks down the skills in teachable pieces. Participants will practice the basic skills that are effective in de-escalating an emotional/upset client in a safe and supportive environment. De-escalation concepts will be discussed.

We work in an environment where many of our clients are arriving at our hospital in a stressed state. We should expect and be prepared for these clients. The objective for these sessions is to provide tangible tools, so that team members gain skills and confidence in working with emotional clients. De-escalation can improve safety in the workplace, better meet the emotional needs of clients, equip employees with the tools and confidence to address emotionally charged situations and improve client/provider relationships.

Track C: Well-Being Skills to Empower Veterinary Professional
Speaker: Josh Vaisman

For many veterinary professionals---client care representatives, nurses, doctors, and managers---working in the field can be emotionally depleting and stressful. It’s hard to thrive when many are barely surviving. Research evidence suggests that the profession is in the midst of a well-being crisis.

Positive psychology has uncovered effective, evidence-based tools for building personal and professional well-being by re-wiring the brain to lean into the positive and grow a sense of happiness.

The session will introduce participants to the applied science of well-being and identify research-supported tools for building life and work satisfaction. Attendees will leave the session with a personal PERMA plan to cultivate well-being.

Track D: Referral Dynamics
Speaker: JoAnn Stewart, RVT, CVPM

The Collaborative Care Coalition (previously VetSOAP) will present their in-depth research project on understanding the impacts of Collaborative Care. As a profession we have yet to understand the impacts of referral medicine on our patients, our clients, and our practices. As they complete their long-term research project, VetSOAP is excited to share the results of our quantitative survey of primary care DVMs, Equine DVMs, and specialty DVMs. With these results it is our goal to evolve the referral relationship to "Collaborative Care."

Track A: How to Nail a Difficult Workplace Conversation
Speaker: Helena Beaven-Goto

Difficult workplace conversations are inevitable, but they are also necessary. When confronted with an issue that requires a difficult conversation, don’t avoid it, plan for it. This talk will introduce participants to steps they can take to prepare for and successfully navigate difficult conversations in the workplace. Topics that will be covered are: The importance of having difficult conversations early and often, how to prepare for and start a difficult conversation, the physiological impact of conflict, and creating a culture for healthy conflict.

Track B: The Importance of Video Marketing and the Future of Search
Speaker: Ali Nikoopour

Video is an increasingly popular medium that boosts online engagement, improves SEO ranking, and increases ROI. In this presentation, we will explore the significance of video for veterinary practices and how it can be incorporate into your online marketing strategy to draw in new clients and continue to engage with current clients. The future of search will be discussed, as well as changing consumer expectations of how and what search can deliver.

Track C: Using a Budget to Predict Profitability
Speaker: Amy Kelley-Williams, MBA, CVPM

Building on the prior session, Profit and Loss Statements are a Gift, Amy will demonstrate how you can use the Profit and Loss Statement to create a budget that will predict your practice’s profitability. By sharing her personal experiences, Amy will present a user-friendly approach to assist and inspire other managers to face their fears about the profit and loss statement and budgeting process.

Track D: Culture-A Paradigm Shift, Part 2
Speaker: Jennifer Hock, M.S.S.L., DEL

It’s not just about the medicine –Although this can be heartbreaking to veterinarians, it is a fact that the quality of their medicine is often judged on the client’s overall experience in the hospital. To the general public, good veterinary medicine is assumed. One way to ensure the client's experience exceeds expectations is to include them as part of the hospital’s culture and use the culture as the marketing strategy to retain and obtain new clients. As for referring veterinarians, we know they refer based on their relationships with specialists or ER doctors, accessibility to doctors, and their experience regarding the follow-up and communication from the specialty/ER hospital. Again, the hospital’s culture can strengthen the current relationships with rDVM’s and even win over new ones.

Track A: Career Paths – Opportunities in Veterinary Management
Panel Discussion

If you ask veterinary hospital managers what they do, most will say that they are responsible for overseeing staff, policies, and finances, but the manager’s role can vary from organization to organization, depending on the size, specialty, and ownership model. Additionally, veterinary management careers are not limited to the practice setting. VHMA has assembled a diverse panel of professionals, including those who have leaped from the practice setting to consulting and industry. The panelists will detail the varied roles they play and will reveal the pathways that got them to where they are now. Whether you are new to the profession or searching for career options, this candid discussion will provide fresh perspectives on the wide range of options available to veterinary practice managers.

Economic Trends Impacting Your Practice
Speaker: Bridgette Bain, Ph.D.

With the rapid growth of corporatization of veterinary medicine, it is more important than ever to understand the workings of the economy and how it impacts your business. Although the pet industry is a multibillion-dollar industry many veterinarians still struggle to make ends meet and reports show that over 30% of dogs and 40% of cats have never visited the veterinarian. Learn strategies and tactics that give you a competitive advantage and learn how to identify market signals that will direct your operations long-term.

Track A: Adding to the Toolbox: Telemedicine
Speaker: Jess Trimble, DVM

Using telemedicine to deliver veterinary services can benefit clients, patients, and the practice. This session will focus on the practical implementation of telemedicine and how practices can make money using it today. Dr. Trimble will share her practice experiences, as well as strategies to bond clients to your practice using technology without having to outsource it.

Track B: Data Privacy Issues Can Unite Businesses and Consumer Issues
Speaker: Clint Latham, J.D.

Technological advances have resulted in practices collecting more and more data about their clients and patients. Clinic owners and managers are starting to understand that protecting consumers information is an essential component of business security and that they have far more to gain by supporting consumer privacy than disregarding it. In this session, we will address General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP) Compliance, California Consumer Privacy Act, current threats from data hackers and Industry Data Connectors and understanding the Unlimited Licensing Agreement.

Track C: Understanding the Customer Persona
Speaker: Bret Canfield

Above all else, customers value convenience, experience, and customization, factors that change radically based on customer type. One client might seek a specific experience, another might have a totally different expectation regarding convenience, and millennials might change the entire paradigm! This workshop explores techniques for identifying customer personas and offers information that can be used to introduce tactics to tailor services that resonate with all customers, regardless of how diverse their needs are.

Track D: Caring So Much It Hurts
Speaker: Danielle Russ, LVT, BS, BA, AS

The veterinary field is not for the faint-hearted. It’s not uncommon to see a pet that requires treatment only to discover the owner does not have the financial resources to provide it. The situation is distressing for both the client and veterinary staff. The psychological impact on the team can be devastating, especially if it occurs regularly. In this session, the mental health risks to staff are identified along with strategies that can be applied to minimize their impact.

Track A: Secrets to Running a Profitable Practice
Speaker: Cammi Bailey, CPA, CVA

Sharing knowledge gained from 30+ years helping entrepreneurs run profitable and successful businesses, Cammi Bailey will cover a wide array of topics, including finance, marketing, management, taxes and more.

Track B: Cultivating a Growth Mindset for Career Success
Speaker: Darcy Luoma CPCC, MCC, BCC, ORSCC, MSOD

Learn how ENDURANCE and resilience can help you overcome obstacles. Are you struggling with where to go next in your career? Afraid to go for a promotion, or trying to figure out how to continue building skills to maximize your impact? Many of us have self-limiting beliefs that keep us from having careers we love. In this session, we’ll talk about the power of a growth mindset, and learn to stop saying things such as “I’m not a people person” or “I’m not good at sales.” A growth mindset helps you understand that change is possible. You’ll learn to get clear on your goals and intentions, identify limiting self-beliefs, and create a plan of action to move yourself forward in your career.

Track C: Workplace Design and Its Impact on Efficiency, Employee Satisfaction, and Profitability
Speaker: Christine Kjell

Workplace design is more than just choosing art, identifying paint colors or updating furniture, it's about accommodating the way we work and supporting employee performance. In this session, the speaker will examine how the built environment can affect everything from efficiency to profitability. Some of the topics that will be covered are systems design, floor design, and technology. A brainstorming session will encourage participant to look at specific issues and develop solutions.

Track D: Getting Along in a 24/7 Environment
Speaker: Pam Stevenson, CVPM

To develop and unite staff, it is essential that managers recognize personality types. A team of professionals with diverse personalities can be a disaster if a manager does not understand how to work with these personalities to guide, motivate, inspire, and foster respectful and productive staff relationships. In practices that operate 24/7, the challenging traits of each personality type can be exacerbated by the high-stress environment. During this session, personality types will be identified and the skills that can be used to foster trust, improve communication, and create a more stable and calm work environment will be discussed.

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.: How Much are Pet Owners Really Willing to Pay for Veterinary Care?
Speaker: Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, CVA

Pricing veterinary services is always a challenge, particularly with the continued push back against rising costs. The “VHMA Pet Owner Economic Survey” has unique insights about the actual dollar amount pet owners are willing to pay for various services as well as the client service aspects of a practice that pet owners not only value but are willing to pay more for. This session will share the results of the survey and discuss how to incorporate this information into your pricing process.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Are You Ready to Unleash Your Inner Winner?
Speaker: Natalie Fikes

Everyone wants to win but not everyone knows how to be a winner. A winning mindset, like success in business, isn’t handed to you. You have to build a winning mindset over time and Natalie Fikes will light your way. You have unlimited, untapped potential inside of you, waiting to be discovered. It's time to connect with your purpose and activate, master, and unleash your inner winner. Be inspired to dream big, trust yourself, embrace a positive attitude, and celebrate progress not perfection.

Track A: Successful Strategies for Hiring Talent in a Challenging Market
Speaker: Stacy Pursell

Hiring veterinary talent is more challenging right now than it’s been in recent memory and perhaps more challenging than it’s ever been. Why is that the case and what can be done to overcome these persistent and mounting challenges?

This session will address the hiring challenges presented by market conditions, generational changes, employee expectations, and old hiring processes. Stacey will share the top factors that prove successful for veterinary employers.

Track B: Trending Technology 2019
Speaker: Stacee Santi, DVM

Participants who are hungry to find out the top technology of 2019 will be served a full plate of options that feature the technology used in high performing veterinary practices. This session will reveal what managers need to know (and be doing) to stay relevant and competitive. Attendees will walk away with a new trick or two!

Track C: Customer Journey Mapping
Speaker: Bret Canfield

Clients experience our clinics in many ways. They call, visit on social media, and walk-in for appointments, but whatever way they connect, the clinic’s goal is to provide high-quality medical care and top-class customer service. When was the last time the clinic took a close look as how clients perceive the services provided? This workshop is designed to explore techniques to see the clinic through fresh eyes and identify strengths and possible gaps in the customer’s journey. Strategies to improve workflow, improve communication, and always provide the best possible client experience will be addressed.

Track D: Staff-Patient Ratio: Balancing Quality Care and Financial Sustainability
Speaker: Danielle Russ, LVT, BS, BA, AS

As nurse: patient ratio initiatives and mandates take hold in human medicine, now is as good a time as any (and long overdue) to evaluate this in our veterinary hospitals. Utilizing their research, we will discuss its application, implementation, and sustainability.