Opinion
Among myriad thoughts captured during the Veterinary Innovation Summit, these present the most opportunity and challenges for veterinary teams in the next three to five years. Some are trends we see routinely as we curate content, but others are coming faster than previously perceived:
- Pet caregivers will drive how they wish to interact with veterinary clinics . . . period.
- Online resources development will reflect the innovations possible from big data capture.
- Individual animal monitoring technology will improve early detection supported by predictive multi-factor, multi-source data.
- Outsourced diagnostic services at cyber speed supported by artificial intelligence applications will significantly increase individual veterinarian diagnostic confidence and allow the veterinary team to support the pet and client without significant delays.
- Changes to veterinary teams as we now know them will be required to survive. The primary focus will be on the people who have animals, a greater emphasis on veterinary tech-nurses and care coordination/education, cloud-based resources and interactions as an influencer versus the authority, to name a few.
Source: Veterinary Innovation Summit, NAVC Media. Link.
We are facing a future filled with uncertainty, fueled by consumer-driven changes, accelerating at a pace we have never seen before. The transformation of our profession will be challenging but will open many new opportunities for those willing to watch, listen, learn and execute.”
INSIGHTS: Day 2 keynote speaker, Jim Harris, shared examples of how customers have changed in other markets and how companies are adapting. His description of smartphones as Swiss Army knives as used by the 40-and-under population underscored examples of how access to care, resources and relationships will be managed in the future. For example, he cited the adoption of telehealth in human medicine from 11 percent in 2019 to 46 percent in 2020 and predicted the numbers to continue increasing.