2 minute read
Grant McCullough, NZVA President
from VetScript May 2020
by VetScript
Perception vs reality – the veterinarian’s burden
NZVA President Grant McCullough reminds veterinarians to consider the value of their services in the face of client scepticism.
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WHEN CONTACTED BY a journalist writing a story on recent animal abuse cases, I wasn’t completely surprised to learn that some animal owners attempt DIY surgeries on their pets. The results can be disastrous.
SPCA’s most recent and aptly named List of Shame describes the most serious cases of animal abuse in the past year, including one of a dog who at age four had their tail docked by their owner, using bands.
As I’m sure you’re aware, cases like this are rare but not unheard of in this country.
When confronted about their actions, some owners said they were prompted to take matters into their own hands by what they viewed as high veterinary costs. But there’s never a valid justification for this sort of behaviour.
When it comes to cost, perception isn’t always informed by reality. It’s my view that many who think we charge too much are comparing our fees with those of human healthcare, which are subsidised by the Government. Now more than ever, it’s important that we hold firm on fees and resist this threat to a business model under which many clinics have been successfully operating for many years.
So how should we respond to criticism and scepticism? I’d like to see all of us play a part in educating the public on the true costs of veterinary services. For example, I was pleased to see comments I’ve made on the subject reported in the media recently.
Arresting the current decline in clinic profitability is perhaps one of our greatest challenges. It’s even more of a priority given the uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.
We also need to have profitable veterinary businesses before we can address our other professional challenges, including staff wellbeing and the veterinary shortage – the latter caused in part by mid-career professionals leaving our ranks because clinics can’t pay them well enough.
For a number of years average veterinary incomes have been decreasing in comparison to those of other, similar professions, and the situation is even worse for veterinary nurses and support staff. In my view it isn’t acceptable to expect our staff to continue in these roles for only the love of animals.
When it comes to profitability, the two biggest mistakes we make are discounting and not charging for time spent with clients. This isn’t conscious theft, but the outcomes are the same.
We also need to resist the temptation to discount, which can be hard in the face of what’s commonly termed emotional blackmail from clients who say they can’t afford our services. Discounting could simply reinforce the view that our services are unreasonably high.
And remember that the NZVA has endorsed pet health insurance for a number of years. It can be an effective and affordable solution for companion animal owners who want to avoid making difficult choices when their pets need unexpected care. I encourage you to talk to your clients about the benefits of pet health insurance when you think the timing is appropriate.
As I’ve said before, with every challenge comes opportunity. Today there’s a clear opportunity for the NZVA to show leadership in addressing the significant issue of veterinary clinic profitability. I look forward to working on this topic with NZVA leadership and our Member Advisory Group, which has identified workforce and business sustainability as a priority issue for action.
