New York, NY

Veterinary Emergency Group

 

Dr. Anna Foster is a Texas A&M 2018 graduate. She was an initial member of the Veterinary Student Innovation Program, now known as the Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy. In school, Dr. Foster served as the VBMA Vice President and took an alternative "Business Innovation" track for her 4th year. After graduation, Dr. Foster worked in a hybrid role as general practitioner and recruiter for a large national veterinary group. Dr. Foster is now the head of Innovation at Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG). Her mission is to challenge the status quo in veterinary medicine.

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Topic #1: Operational Transparency in the Vet Hospital

Description: Do you allow customers to appreciate your work? Every single day veterinary teams are heroes. Our customers want and need to see the heroic work we do. Not only does operational transparency allow for less customer complaints, miscommunications, stressed pets, and invoice disputes; it leads to less burn out. Veterinary teams get more thank yous. We work for thank yous. How do we manage the increasing customer demands with accelerated rates of burnout? It's simple: keep people and their pets together. We will dive into ways to increase transparency in your practice.

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Topic #2: Innovation in Veterinary Medicine: Bring Big New Ideas to Life

Description: We have learned that veterinary hospitals are, for the most part, recession-proof and pandemic proof. They have some of the lowest default rates of any business type. This is great news for us, right? There’s more to the story. The ease with which a veterinary hospital can open and operate with little business acumen has led us down a path of complacency and doing things 'the way they have always been done.' Times are changing. Customers demand more. Employees seek flexibility. Veterinary professionals must challenge the status quo. How do we do this in a historically stagnant industry? Democratize innovation. The best ideas come from our frontline employees. Let them feel empowered to use their voice to transform the hospital, the company, and their careers. Creativity and entrepreneurship must be encouraged, celebrated, and rewarded. Look outward for inspiration to industries like hospitality, technology, and the arts. Take risks and embrace failures. A rising tide lifts all boats, your individual innovation contribution improves the entire industry.

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Topic #3: How to Create a Level 3 Customer Experience

Description: How do you excel in customer experience? The answer may not be so obvious. Your employees come first. "The outcome in our industry normally depends on the front-line employees — doormen, bellmen, waiters, maids, the lowest-paid people — and often, in too many companies, the least motivated. These front-line staff represents our product to our customers. In the most realistic sense, they are the product. When our employees are trusted to use their common sense, they can and do turn mishaps into new service opportunities. Then, what the customer remembers is not the complaint, but the outcome." -Isadore Sharp, Four Seasons. We will discuss how to love and empower your employees.

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Topic #4: The Modern Veterinary Hospital Flow

Description: We all know the typical hospital flow: you start in a loud, smelly lobby with barking dogs and scared cats, next you move to a cold exam room with no windows, then your pet is taken to the "back" while you can hear her barking. Shortly after, you receive a confusing treatment plan that comes along with the misunderstood bill, and now you leave as a frustrated pet parent checking out at the front desk. Imagine a world where your pet is sick and you call to speak directly with a veterinarian. After they recommend you come in, you are texted a check in link and address on google maps. When you arrive, you walk straight inside, past the front desk, right into a large open treatment area. You see the doctor right away. You see other families sitting on the floor with their pets. You notice a woman sleeping on a large bean bag with her small dog in her lap who is hooked up to IV fluids. Your pet is treated right in front of your eyes while you are safely next to your pet. The cost breakdown of your treatment plan is explained expertly by the doctor. You check out instantly with a link sent directly to your mobile phone. When you arrive home, your pets medical record is sitting in your email inbox. We will discuss how to use First Principle Thinking to choose a hospital flow that is uniquely best for your hospital.

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Speaker Fees: $0- VEG will cover all costs for students :)

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Email: afoster@veg.vet

Phone: 2814502587

Website: https://veterinaryemergencygroup.com/

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