One of the biggest challenges facing the veterinary profession is finding the balance between providing affordable healthcare to clients while fairly remunerating the veterinarians that deliver it.
We delve into the emerging trends that have the potential to combat this challenge, as well as those trends that have a wider impact on the future of the veterinary profession.
Embracing Artificial Intelligence
Technological advancements have transformed the veterinary profession. Veterinarians are now able to deliver improved care and carry out more complex procedures, such as cancer treatment and kidney transplants, with the help of diagnostic imaging, 3-D printing and biotechnology.
Looking forward, artificial intelligence has the potential to further modify the landscape of veterinary science. Advances in AI will make it possible for computers to carry out standard clinical interpretations of radiographs, ultrasound images, MRI and CT scans. This will improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis while giving veterinarians time to carry out more advanced procedures and develop their knowledge to the benefit of their patients.
As Dr Chris Queen, a small animal veterinarian who has a deep interest in veterinary technology, puts it: the veterinarian of the future is likely to “possess skills, knowledge and be capable of providing a standard of care and service that far exceeds anything possible in the present”.
The Rise of the Televeterinary Practice
When it comes to ways of working, perhaps the most transformative development of recent times is the rise of televeterinary practices. As working life evolves, clients are looking for longer opening hours and more flexible methods of communication.
Televeterinary practices provide clinical healthcare remotely, enabling clients to access veterinarians in less time and for a lower cost. This mode of communication not only makes veterinary care more accessible for those that are geographically or economically limited, but has the potential to improve work-life balance for veterinarians too.
Increasingly, veterinarians are looking for flexible working arrangements that accommodate a part-time or portfolio career. Televeterinary practices provide a solution for this demand, allowing veterinarians to flex both their working hours and location.
If you are looking for increased flexibility, Synergy Vets have a number of locum vacancies which you can apply for here.
The Case for Individualised Medicine
Most owners want their pet’s treatment to be tailored dependent on medical history, risk of disease and additional identity markers such as age or gender. In veterinary medicine, however, treatment plans are typically based upon studies derived from a relatively small sample size of animals. This is often due to limitations in time and resources, which don’t allow for individualised medicine at scale.
However, as technology and veterinary medicine advance, we can expect to see greater personalisation in the future. Taking into account influences such as age, gender, heritable traits and circadian rhythms will result in greater treatment precision and improved overall pet wellbeing.
Greater Diversity within the Profession
The veterinary profession is not alone in exhibiting a desire for greater diversity. It is widely acknowledged that diversity and inclusion make for a more productive, innovative and adaptable workforce. On top of initial steps, such as diversity training programs and recruitment drives, the veterinary industry has made moves to incorporate changes to policies, practices and work culture to push forward the diversity agenda.
That being said, the industry still has a way to go before reaching a truly diverse workforce that is representative of age, class, ethnicity, gender, and other human differences. As steps are increasingly being taken to address this, we can expect a more diverse veterinary profession in the future.
The veterinary profession has long been viewed as an admirable career path, one which is universally recognised and well perceived by the public.
While it has already come a long way over the years, there is no doubt that the future looks bright and exciting for the veterinary profession. Emerging technologies, increased individualisation and a more diverse workforce will all contribute to improved care and animal welfare.