Challenges in the veterinary field, such as the rising costs for pet owners and the shortage of veterinarians and technicians in the industry, was highlighted in the 2024 Animal Health Summit in downtown Kansas City, Mo., last Aug. 26 to 27.
Hosted by the KC Animal Health Corridor, the event featured a panel discussion underscoring the importance of continuing education for both veterinary professionals and pet owners, the strategic use of technology to enhance efficiency and care, and the need for policy changes to support these efforts.
Further, it also highlighted a panel discussion that focused on access to care, where several members of the industry shared insights.
“The availability of care is increasingly limited by the shortage of qualified professionals,” says Andrew Luna, founder and CEO of software platform Hound, highlighting the importance of retaining the existing workforce and finding ways to combat burnout.
“The idea that ‘if you can’t afford a pet, you shouldn’t have one’ needs to go away,” says Aimee St. Arnaud, founder and CEO of Open Door Veterinary Collective. St. Arnaud also introduced the concept of financial triage, which involves assessment of client’s financial capacity and identifying payment solutions to ensure patient receives care and the clinic receives payment.
Carolyn Henry, DVM, DACVIM, professor and former dean at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, touched on telehealth and the creation of a midlevel practice professional as ways to address both care shortages and cost challenges.
The discussion underscored the importance of continuing education for both veterinary professionals and pet owners, the strategic use of technology to enhance efficiency and care, and the need for policy changes to support these efforts. Other key highlights include:
Insights from leaders: Industry executives discussed the impact of technology on the future of animal health, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in enhancing care for both livestock and pets.
The panelists also highlighted the importance of fostering a sustainable pipeline of veterinary talent and the need for collaboration between large corporations and startups to fuel ongoing innovation.
Advanced therapies panel: This discussion highlighted the potential and challenges of treatments, such as gene and cell therapies, in animal health. Further, it underscored the importance of making these advanced therapies affordable for pet owners and practical for veterinarians to adopt in practice.
EmGenisys wins Innovation Award: EmGenisys took top honors among emerging companies pitching their technologies at the event. EmGenisys has developed a software that utilizes machine learning and computer vision to evaluate embryo health using 30-second smartphone videos.
For more information, visit the KC Animal Health Corridor website.