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Decision Data: Satisfied with Cat-Friendly Practice?
January 6, 2020
A data dive yields insights on becoming a Cat-Friendly Practice through the American Association of Feline Practitioners—and how satisfied veterinary hospital owners and managers are with the results.
It can often be difficult for a veterinary practice owner or manager to decide how to change their business model, when to add services and how to adjust for changing times. The team at dvm360 has been working with two of the sharpest veterinary analysts around (John Volk and Dr. Karen Felsted) to examine major changes practices have made and how happy the decision-makers were when all was said and done.
For the next few months, we’ll be sharing results from their study as well as resources and commentary to help you make a decision as a practice owner or manager—or make a plan happen once you’ve decided.
This week, we look at which practices are selling products and refilling prescriptions online.
NOTE: Categories are based on the survey question, “What were your practice’s gross revenues in 2016?” as well as questions about 2017 behavior and decisions.
| Practices with gross revenue of ... | Percentage |
| Less than $500,000 | 6% |
| $500,000-$999,000 | 9% |
| $1 million-$1.5 million | 12% |
| $1.5 million-$2 million | 14% |
| $2 million-$3 million | 23% |
| $3 million-$5 million | 9% |
| $5 million or more | 13% |
Source: dvm360 Decisions Survey; Dr. Karen Felsted of PantheraT Consulting; John Volk of Brakke Consulting
What is the No. 1 reason you pursued Cat-Friendly Practice certification?
(Respondents selected only one)
| Reduce patient stress | 29% |
| Improve cat owners' satisfaction and compliance | 27% |
| Increase cat visits | 22% |
| Improve standard of care | 16% |
| Sponsored by AAFP | 5% |
| Reduce employee injuries | 4% |
| Reduce number of fractious cats | 1% |
| Educate staff on unique needs of cats | 0 |
| Increase profits | 0 |
Source: dvm360 Decisions Survey; Dr. Karen Felsted of PantheraT Consulting; John Volk of Brakke Consulting
No. 1 benefit seen after becoming a Cat-Friendly Practice
(Respondents selected only one)
| Increased cat owner satisfaction | 25% |
| Less patient stress | 20% |
| Improved staff compliance with good feline handling techniques | 18% |
| Satisfaction that we are practicing good feline handling techniques | 15% |
| Fewer fractious cats | 7% |
| Increased staff training | 5% |
| Fewer employee injuries | 0 |
| Increased profits | 0 |
| No benefit | 7% |
Source: dvm360 Decisions Survey; Dr. Karen Felsted of PantheraT Consulting; John Volk of Brakke Consulting
Satisfaction with impact of becoming a Cat-Friendly Practice
| Extremely satisfied | 23% |
| Moderately satisfied | 29% |
| Satisfied | 46% |
| Dissatisfied | 1% |
| Moderately dissatisfied | 1% |
| Extremely dissatisfied | 0 |
Source: dvm360 Decisions Survey; Dr. Karen Felsted of PantheraT Consulting; John Volk of Brakke Consulting