In veterinary school, we learned to evaluate a patient completely in the SOAP format: subjective, objective, assessment and plan. We gather a thorough history, document the physical exam’s findings, and chart a course of diagnostics and treatment. Sadly, the veterinary profession itself needs a SOAP because of an infection that worsens daily, one so insidious that it almost seems normal. Too many practitioners are dying from this pervasive, pernicious illness. We must immediately assess the ills that befall our profession and chart a plan toward a cure.
Here’s how we would apply the SOAP principles.
Subjective
If the veterinary profession was a patient, what would it say? If it was like an animal patient and unable to speak, what would its owners reveal? For example:
- Would they report a general malaise and “ADR” (ain’t doing right)?
- Would they tell us how long the malaise has lasted? Would they say 10 years, 20 years or more?
- Would they say anorexia has prevented a fulfilling workplace?
- Would they describe a depressed countenance, fearfulness, apathy, pain, and persistent and prevalent mental anguish, resulting in the patient’s denuding?
- Would they note a cachectic attrition in the industry as disillusioned professionals leave the workplace?
The owners would say the symptoms have worsened, given unsustainable workplace benchmarks. They would note the ills are often silent until they rise to the level of a ready-to-explode abscess.
Patients mask clinical symptoms until they can no longer compensate. As we know, when a patient compensates with weight bearing on a non-injured leg, lameness often appears in that limb. Lameness in two limbs leads to downer animals.
The veterinary profession is no longer able to compensate without immediate urgent care. It is lame in two limbs and displays other physiological symptoms. Comorbidities require multimodal care.
Objective
The physical exam reveals a malnourished patient. Our profession has not received meaningful sustenance. Veterinarians in corporatized practices are often pushed to see too many patients a day, resulting in an inability to forge needed connections with pets and clients.
The exam also shows a profession in a weakened state, with ventral flexion of the head and neck, an elevated heart rate, and pale mucous membranes. The temperature has risen because of increased scrutiny by non-veterinary leadership. The patient’s mental acuity decreases by the day.
Immediate intervention and a comprehensive assessment and plan of care are required.
Assessment
With the rise in pet ownership and a shift in consumer spending habits and the human-animal bond, the veterinary profession is a very desirable business. We were designated an essential service provider during the pandemic, we’ve shown resilience through trying economic climates, and we’ve proven nimble in adjusting operations to serve our patients and communities.
At the same time, veterinary professionals are challenged by burnout, stress, declining mental health and increasing demands. The situation has led people outside the profession to see the potential and the business opportunities more clearly than those of us within it. Consolidation and non-veterinary ownership have forged ahead, with momentum growing.
Additionally, the shortage of veterinarians is projected to continue for several years. Our struggle to meet all aspects of veterinary services (equine, food animal, emergency, specialty and general practice) has reached the point that some animal health needs might go unfulfilled. All this has created a situation where too much of veterinary medicine is led by those without veterinary degrees.
All is not dire, however. Veterinary salaries have risen, and more veterinarians are demanding flexibility to maintain a work-life balance. We’re also more open with ourselves about the challenges of working in this profession and more transparent with the public about the highs and lows of being a veterinarian.
Finally, we’re starting to see again that owning a veterinary practice is a means to wealth creation and that veterinarians can succeed as small business owners. This opportunity might mean outright ownership or co-ownership with a parent company or investor.
Plan
The assessment tells us the veterinary profession needs immediate stabilization. The treatment will take time, but with our help, veterinary medicine professionals will nurse their careers back to health and unleash their true potential.
Let’s start by prescribing:
1. A RETURN TO VETERINARIAN LEADERSHIP
With the corporatization of veterinary medicine increasing, we’re seeing most executive leadership positions going to non-veterinarians. Are the veterinary professionals who built the industry incapable of continuing to lead and grow it once it reaches a certain size? Are we viewing leadership opportunities within our field as a burden compared to our patient care responsibilities?
Leadership might be inherent for some, but its qualities can and should be learned by everyone in the profession. Whether you are an executive, practice owner or associate veterinarian, the ability to lead will benefit you wherever you are.
2. EMBRACE VETERINARIAN OWNERSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Owning or having equity in a veterinary practice builds personal wealth and provides opportunities for personal growth. Although fear and finances might hold many of us back from pursuing such a step, resources are available to make it seem less daunting.
When a veterinarian owns the practice, the veterinarian’s voice is at the top of patient care and the business. Ownership also means veterinarians lead veterinarians and keep the wealth building in their hands.
Money won’t solve all our problems, but it can help. Money is a tool to pay off student debt, buy a home, start a family, fund a child’s education or take that well-deserved trip of a lifetime. Compassion and wealth building aren’t mutually exclusive characteristics of our profession.
Veterinarians know what’s best for their patients and teams. With the proper training, mentorship and drive, we can (and have) built amazing, successful businesses and places of employment. Veterinarians must be the change to bring life back to our profession. Let’s work together to restore the veterinarian to the top of the industry and help heal the profession.
Patient Summary
Veterinarians hoping to spend more time with patients abdicated many leadership and administrative responsibilities when becoming part of group practices. In giving up ownership of their work schedules, patient schedules, staff selection, pharmacy items and equipment needs, they are now at the behest of managers uninformed of the needs of veterinary professionals and animals.
This case requires healers to help heal themselves. Using SOAP to identify the infection’s components, we can diagnose, assess and treat it with haste to prevent further degradation and recurrence. The prognosis is good if we step in to treat the patient, ourselves and our profession.