How current business trends are changing equine medicine

In an ever-changing economy, it's hard to know for equine veterinarians to know where they fit in, personally and professionally. In “61 minutes: Current business and financial trends,” held at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at the AAEP Convention in Las Vegas, Dr. Mike Pownall will open a dialogue about the current state of equine medicine.

In this ambitious program, Drs. Pownall, Robert Magnus, and Joop Loomans will cover how the general economy is affecting the veterinary industry, discuss the challenges of the last year, look ahead to the opportunities of the coming year, and scope out trends on the horizon. “We're covering a broad topic, but the intent is to give our colleagues an idea of where we are and direct them toward resources to plan for the future,” says Dr. Pownall.

One part of the discussion will be on the role of technology in practice. While the use of interactive veterinary practice websites is still limited, it's something all doctors need to be aware of, Dr. Pownall says. “With the widespread use of Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites out there, we need to know how our clients are connecting with one another-and figure out how to use these technologies to our advantage.”

Plus, he continues, “our clients don't want to be hit over the head with advertising. Our websites and other mediums need to be value-driven and interactive, giving clients useful information and networking opportunities. At this talk, I'll share the do's and don'ts of the new technologies.”