2024 Annual Meeting & Conference

Thriving as a Leader in the Veterinary Profession
Randy Hall
Every day, you come to work in the veterinary profession to make a difference in the lives of animals. Sometimes, that can feel more like solving the same problems over and over or putting out fires and herding cats. In this session, Randy will help you approach leadership in a way that allows you to thrive in your management role, not just survive it. You will explore leadership tools and techniques that create a more engaged, productive, and accountable team as you continue to build your expertise as a leader of people. You learn about the latest research findings around human motivation and employee engagement and consider new habits and patterns that enable leaders in the veterinary profession to create a better and more fulfilling life as they lead teams of high-performing people. Learn to enjoy your leadership role more fully and go home each day knowing your team is growing and improving and your care and service are even more exceptional.

Roundtable Discussions

Table Talk: Topics TBA

Track A: Tips from an employment lawyer on AI, restrictive covenants (and everything else we can squeeze into 90 minutes)
Eric Meyer
Are you interested in using artificial intelligence to help with hiring for your practice? Who isn’t, but not if doing it wrong may get you sued.
 
Or what about having employees sign restrictive covenants? You probably don't want your DVMs leaving and setting up shop across the street. But, then again, the feds and several states are cracking down on employer use of noncompetes. And maybe someone refuses to sign. What then?
 
If only there were an employment lawyer who could provide answers to your business to these and other pressing HR-compliance questions in a conference setting without creating an attorney-client relationship or providing any specific legal advice. A lawyer who only says “it depends” occasionally. Join management-side employment lawyer Eric Meyer to discuss these and other hot employment issues that may impact your business.

Track B: Got a Problem?  Let’s Solve it!
Melissa Mauldin, CVPM, SHRM-SCP, ACC
The goal of this session is to introduce attendees to problem-solving using a systems approach, utilizing the VHMA’s Organizational Diagnosis and Design Toolkit. 

This program will provide participants with an overview of the VHMA’s Organizational Diagnosis and Design Toolkit with the intent of introducing systems thinking, organizational diagnosis, and organizational design to facilitate problem-solving. Case studies will be presented to show how this new approach to problem-solving can be used in the workplace.

Track C: Creating the Best Future for your Practice, Your Team, and You
Randy Hall
This program will be a hands-on, interactive look at creating a more fully accountable culture, leading change that encounters less resistance, and coaching team members as they consistently move toward their very best performance. We will explore some of the science of human behavior change and utilize simple, repeatable processes to help your team develop into a group of positive high performers and help you build a culture of fully engaged people. You will learn and practice proven leadership tools so that the concept of leadership becomes a system of daily and weekly routines that make your life happier and easier. Suppose leadership feels like some ambiguous set of traits that people sometimes show up with instead of a repeatable set of tools that get results. In that case, this workshop will change that and allow you to focus on the key ingredients of helping a group of people become more accountable, more efficient, and happier in their work. 

Track A: Next Level Leadership: Leading People Leaders 
Melissa Mauldin, CVPM, SHRM-SCP, ACC
This session aims to highlight the difference between leading individuals and leading other leaders while sharing skill development tips to help leaders succeed. Leaders are often promoted due to their ability to accomplish things. As you move up the leadership ranks, you become more and more removed from the work that got you promoted in the first place. This progression is exciting but can also leave you feeling unsure about your skills and what is expected of you. In this session, we will look at the progression of leadership, how it changes as you level up, and what you need to do to be successful at the highest levels. We will also explore the challenges of leading individuals vs. leading other leaders and provide practical tips for developing the necessary skills for each level of leadership. 

Track B: Going from Check-the-Box Compliance to a Culture of Safety
Jessica Molina, CVPM, PHR
During this session, we will discuss strategies for transforming your safety program from a simple checkbox exercise to a comprehensive framework for risk management. Our goal is to help you create a culture of safety within your organization, where safety is not just a set of rules, but a way of thinking and behaving. We will explore ways to identify potential risks and hazards, address root causes of incidents or injuries, and ultimately reduce costs associated with claims. By implementing these strategies, you will not only meet compliance standards, but also improve overall safety outcomes and employee engagement. Let's work together to elevate your safety program to the next level.

Track C: Every report tells a story. Change your story and improve the financial health of your practice
Mira Johnson, CPA, CVPM and Jimmy Bell, CPA
Have you ever looked at your clinic's reports and wondered what this or that means? You may have seen a decline in your profitability and needed to figure out what to do next. In this session, you will learn what information to look at and how to interpret the available data. This session is suited for people with a fundamental understanding of financial reports and access to their practice's accounting system. Empower yourself with information that can help you manage your practice. Learn where your practice's strengths and weaknesses are through reports. This session will teach you how to compare numbers across your veterinary hospital and industry and help you assess overall financial performance. And no, we will not be staring at spreadsheets for the entire session.

Track A: Team Career Advancement and Mapping
Rebecca Rose, RVT, CCC, CPEP
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges for veterinary teams worldwide. However, amidst the challenges, there have been opportunities for career advancement and growth within the veterinary industry. In this program, we will celebrate and recognize the successes and pivots made by teams in 2021. Additionally, we will explore new career opportunities due to the pandemic, surprising participants with the diverse career paths available in veterinary medicine. Career mapping is essential to career advancement, but navigating and determining how to leverage each team member's unique skills and goals can be tricky. We will discuss ways to assess the team's current knowledge and experience, whether in client care, animal husbandry, or medical expertise. We will also cover how to measure and improve skill sets in communication, patient care, and the delivery of veterinary medicine. One crucial aspect of career mapping and leveraging is unity within the team. Managers and leaders are vital in empowering and supporting team members to grow in their careers. We will explore ways to unify a team by leveraging and sharing the workload to support individual career goals.

Track B: How Your Business Decisions Impact Profitability and Your Tax Bill
Beth Scott, CPA
Understanding what business decisions directly impact your practice's financial health is key to a prosperous future. In this session, Beth Scott will reveal the pivotal decisions that can significantly impact your bottom line. She will explain the various types of tax depreciation, decipher the nuances of entity taxation, explore the tax treatments of various strategic business expenses, and more. Gain the insight you need to make informed and strategic decisions for your practice's financial success.

This session will be recorded but only available to paid conference attendees after the event.

Track C: Creating a Referral Network in the Evolving Landscape of Veterinary Practices
Allison Rye, LVT, CVPM
As veterinary practice models evolve, encompassing a variety of new approaches, there are unique opportunities to better support our staff, community practices, and clients. With these opportunities come both fresh and familiar challenges in managing referral relationships. By acknowledging these challenges, we can use them to shape and enhance our strategies!

In this session, we will:

• Discuss current trends in referrals, general practice (GP), urgent care, and expanding models of care, including access to low-cost clinics and subsidized care.
• Identify potential referral relationships by leveraging the unique strengths of community practices.
• Develop an action plan to secure staff buy-in and foster a collective mindset for creating a robust referral network.
• Explore strategies to initiate contact and build relationships with local practices.
• Create a comprehensive action plan outlining communication expectations, boundaries, and goals within your veterinary practice community.

Unlocking the Power of Behavioral Economics: Transforming Veterinary Care for Better Pet Outcomes
Nellie Goetz, DVM, MPH
In this session, we will explore the innovative application of behavioral economics within the veterinary field. Behavioral economics, traditionally applied in human healthcare, offers a treasure trove of insights and strategies that can revolutionize the way veterinary care is approached, improving both pet health outcomes and client satisfaction. The session will begin with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of behavioral economics, focusing on how human behaviors, biases, and decision-making processes can influence pet care choices. We will delve into the psychology behind pet owners' decisions to seek or forego care, the adherence to prescribed treatments, and the selection between general and specialty veterinary services.

Inspirational Leadership: On Becoming Irresistible and Unforgettable
Alise Cortez
What does it take to become an inspirational leader – someone people can't resist following or ever forget? The answer starts with a deep dive into a passion – for your own life and the vision you have for the future of the organization. Inspirational leaders are convicted in their belief in abundance and possibility for what their team is taking on. Their optimism and capacity to appreciate and recognize the contributions of each team member inform their communication style. Their ravenous appetite to look for what's strong in each team member and help steward their journey to realize their own greatness makes them unforgettable. Becoming an inspirational leader is about communicating the worth and potential of each person on your team– telling them how they matter, that you appreciate them, and that you can see even more in their future. Becoming an inspirational leader entails a life fully examined and radiantly lived in the service of others.

Track A: Understanding Your Environment and Shaping Your Organizational Culture (Part 1)
Douglas White, Ed.D.
In this program, we will dive into the process of making sense of our surroundings and how it affects our decision-making. Often, the challenges we face are more complex than they seem on the surface. We will discuss the underlying ideas and assumptions that influence our choices within our organization. The session will also include practical exercises and worksheets for you to apply to your own organization, using the CYNEFIN Framework - a conceptual model to improve decision-making. 

You will learn useful tools to help you identify and understand your organization's culture. We will also cover methods for shaping how your organization runs, as well as how to foster employee engagement and satisfaction by implementing effective mechanisms. Join us for the first part of this series on creating and maintaining a strong organizational culture.

Track B: Clinic Cash Flow: Sales Techniques for the Veterinary Team
Lu Olson, DVM 
In this interactive presentation, we will explore the crucial role that sales play in the success of a veterinary hospital. Participants will learn how best medicine practice strategies can drive revenue, increase client satisfaction, provide exceptional patient care, and allow us to take care of the team the way they deserve. Ultimately, we will discuss how to contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the practice by building strong relationships with clients, gaining comfort in medical recommendations, and creating consistent messaging to drive compliance. Join us to gain valuable insights and practical tips for veterinary teams looking to uncover the power of sales in shaping your practice and elevating it to new heights.

Track C: Building a Compassionate and Authentic Culture: How to Attract and Keep Your Team
Heidi Pancake
This program is designed for practice managers who have to navigate a variety of challenges, including canceled interviews, difficult employees, and time constraints for strategic planning. Led by Heidi, it will focus on using the principles of compassionate authenticity and clearly defined cultural values to effectively engage, attract, and retain employees. In today's workplace, offering traditional incentives like free food isn't enough. Learn how to create a culture that truly engages your staff.

Track A: Creating Our Organizational Culture and Leadership Development for Adaptive Organizations (Part 2)
Douglas White, Ed.D.
In any organization, there is a key individual who has the most influence on shaping its culture. It is crucial to identify this person and understand how we can lead in a way that fosters a positive workplace and appeals to clients. 

However, investing in others goes beyond simply assigning a new title or role. By leveraging Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety, we can explore how our ecosystem can provide new opportunities for growth and success, making our organization sustainable for the long term. Join us as we delve into effective leadership strategies that cultivate a healthy work culture and drive client engagement.

Track B: Client Loyalty: Building Lasting Bonds with a Data-Based Approach
Brittany Yost, CVPM
In today's competitive market, building strong client connections is crucial for veterinary practices to thrive. This program will focus on leveraging data to foster lasting client relationships. Through an analysis of key performance indicators and industry benchmarks from the VHMA Insiders' Insights KPI dashboard, participants will gain valuable insights on how to combat the decline in client visits and implement effective strategies for retention. Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways to improve their practice's client bond and success.

Track C: Safety: it's not just a job; it’s an adventure. Ways to make safety fun for your staff.
Kimberly Mackey, MS, CVPM
Getting your staff to buy into the safety adventure is not always easy. This program will discuss ways to make learning about safety fun and engaging. You will learn ways to engage staff using humor, different learning styles, games, and incentives. Making fast-paced decisions about safety in and out of work is never easy, so help prepare your staff with the ability and knowledge to make those decisions. Tips and Ideas to ensure your staff and practice are safe from the "what ifs.” We will discuss theft, fire, violence, active shooters, and workplace violence. We will review ideas and suggestions on improving your practice's safety and ensure you have a plan in place in case a "what if" happens.

Tools/Resources Attendees will gain from this program:
1. Developing a Safety Culture at work.
2. Ideas to help staff embrace the culture.
3. Ways to engage staff in learning about safety issues.
4. Key things to keep in mind while training safety issues.
5. Small tips to keep you safe in and out of the workplace.

Roundtable Discussions

Table Talk: Topics TBA

Roundtable Discussions

Table Talk: Topics TBA

Race to Success: Navigating the Changing Landscape of Veterinary Practice
Christopher Doherty, DVM, CBV, MBA
This program will provide a thorough examination of the current trends affecting the veterinary industry. Led by Dr. Chris Doherty, attendees will gain valuable insight into the latest developments in veterinary education, employment, and services. Dr. Doherty will present key findings from AVMA's Graduating Senior Survey, Census of Veterinarians, Practice Owners Survey, and Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. In addition, an overview of macroeconomic trends will be provided to equip veterinary management leaders with the necessary information to adapt, innovate, and prepare for a successful future. This is a valuable opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and gain knowledge crucial for future practice success.