Why is access to care so important?
- 59 million pets live in homes making under $20,000 a year.
- 29 million pets live in homes on SNAP benefits.
- Six in ten (58%) of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck including 30% of those earning > $250,000.
- One out of four households has experienced a barrier to care in last two years.
- 1 in 3 working age adults 25-60yrs are considered "Financially Fragile" including 30% of middle income earners $50-75k and 20% of those who earn $75k-100k. Financially Fragile = They would have difficulty coming up with $2,000 within 30 days in the event of an emergency.
- 15.8% of counties in the U.S. do not have a veterinary practice. That impacts over 1.5 million households.
- A recent JAVMA article (April 2022) found that financial fragility was found all all incomes of pet owners in their study.
Sources: Access to Veterinary Care Report (2018), University of Tennessee https://pphe.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/avcc-report.pdf; The Paycheck to Paycheck Report PYMTS.com and Lending Club, June/July 2022. https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/PYMNTS-New-Reality-Check-Report-June-July-2022.pdf; George Washington University. (2018) https://www.nefe.org/research/research-projects/completed-research/2018/financial-fragility-in-the-us-evidence-and-implications.aspx; King, E., Mueller, M., Dowling-Guyer, S., McCobb, E., (2022). Financial fragility and demographic factors predict pet owners’ perceptions of access to veterinary care in the United States, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.21.11.0486.
That’s why our Open Door model practices set out with a simple premise that we always refer back to when making any business decision: We believe all people deserve access to veterinary care for their pets.
We wondered, “Can you have a positive net profit while increasing access to care and removing barriers?”
The answer is yes!
Learn how to implement these principles in your practice:
- Patient-centered incremental care focuses on a problem solving approach to achieve the best possible outcomes for the family and pet in the context of limited resources.
- Creating operating efficiencies with scheduling, staffing and inventory.
- Budgeting and leadership to create a sustainable business model.
- Staff support and well-being. Tips for keeping staff happy and engaged.
- Offering multiple financial assistance options to meet the needs of your clients.
- Building partnerships with non-profits, human health services and private practices for an One Health approach in your community.
10 modules with learnings over 8 weeks
- Each module includes written support materials for you to use.
- Not too much, not too little - just the right amount of content for busy change leaders.
- Access to support via phone or email.
- Be part of a national network with benefits for members.
By the end of this program, you will…
- Feel like you have the tools you need to successfully manage your clinic and analyze your data.
- Maximize your efficiencies.
- Free up your time from constantly feeling like everything is on fire so you can focus on fun, creative projects.
- Have a support network so you can breathe.