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BOB MURTAUGH
DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, FCCM
Chair, Veterinary Medicine,
National Academies of Practice.
"Unleashing Access to Care"
"From the Farms to Families, the veterinary community must seize the lead on implementing the paradigm shifts required to meet the growing delivery and access to care needs of our society."
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BOB MURTAUGH
DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, FCCM
Bob has been a 42-year AVMA member since graduating in 1980 from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his residency at the Ohio State University in 1984 and board certification in veterinary internal medicine in 1985.
Learn about Bob from others!
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Bob and Jill's Canine Crew
Latest News
JULY 16, 2023
INDUSTRY NEWS TIDBITS
The Coalition for the Veterinary Professional Associate (CVPA) is an organization born from the need to expand the roles of veterinary professionals to serve our animal companions and all stakeholders better. With solid support from universities, rural settings, shelters, and companion animal environments, this group has come together to lobby for and support the creation of these new mid-level providers.
Despite a temporary setback recently in the Colorado Legislature, this talented and connected group is beginning to create standards, certification, and accreditation processes similar to those for nurse practitioners and physician assistants in human healthcare. Additionally, collaborative engagement with NAVTA on this topic and other pressing veterinary technician issues is forging a strong alliance for the betterment of the profession.
ADDITIONALLY:The Legislature in Arkansas has recently demonstrated progressive action by creating legislation allowing Veterinary Technician Specialists in the State to develop a temporary VCPR to improve access to care opportunities, especially in rural locales. And, in a unanimous fashion, the State Government in Arizona recently passed legislation approving the establishment of the virtual VCPR for veterinary medicine in the State. This action also sets the stage for improved access to care....especially for those individuals in veterinary deserts, with transportation issues, and those with limited financial means.
JULY 13, 2023
VETERINARY COLLABORATIVE CARE = OPTIMAL CARE
Proud to be serving as a long-term Board Member of the Collaborative Care Coalition. The CCC is a cross-disciplinary veterinary nonprofit organization that funds and conducts research to demonstrate the benefits of "early and often" collaborative efforts between primary care veterinarians and veterinary specialists. Our efforts have spanned the realms of cardiology, dermatology, and, most recently, oncology, as evidenced by the recent online JAVMA publication highlighted below.
Client perceptions improve with collaborative care when managing dogs with cancer: a Collaborative Care Coalition Study.
Samantha L. Morello, DVM, DACVS-LA1; Elizabeth A. Maxwell, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA2*; Kimberly Ness, BA3; Tom Minsel, PhD3; Kai-Biu Shiu, BVMS, MRCVS, DACVIM3 / 1Center for Veterinary Business and Entrepreneurship, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY / 2University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL / 3Trone Research and Consulting LLC, High Point, NC / 4VCA Pet Cancer Care Alliance, Los Angeles, CA*Corresponding author: Dr. Maxwell (emaxwell@ufl.edu)Received February 3, 2023, Accepted March 23, 2023doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.01.0046
OBJECTIVECollaboration between primary care veterinarians (pcVets) and veterinary oncologists is common for dogs diagnosed with cancer, but no data exist that explore dog owner utilization and perceptions of collaborative care. The objectives were to describe dog owner perceptions of the value of collaborative veterinary cancer care and identify drivers of a positive collaborative care experience between the pcVet and oncologic specialists.
SAMPLE890 US dog owners with pets were diagnosed with cancer in the past three years.
PROCEDURESOnline contextual survey. Data were analyzed using group comparisons and multiple regression analysis. Significance was set at P < .05.
RESULTS76% of clients sought specialty care following cancer diagnosis in their dog. Seventy percent of owners across all income brackets indicated that referral to a specialist was a very good value based on money spent and outcomes. Delayed referral resulted in lower client satisfaction scores for pcVets. The top predictors of client satisfaction with pcVets were as follows:Responsiveness to questions.Staying involved with their dog's care.Willingness to work with other veterinarians and specialists.For specialists, the top predictors were as follows: providing accurate cost estimates, cancer knowledge, and effectiveness of care. Client perceptions of pcVets were six times more likely to improve following referral to a specialist. All were significant predictors of owner advocacy (P < .0001).
CLINICAL RELEVANCEDog owners perceived early collaboration between pcVets and specialists favorably, fostering client satisfaction and positive perceptions of the value of service provided for dogs diagnosed with cancer.
ABOUT CCCYou became a veterinarian because you want to help animals. At the Collaborative Care Coalition (CCC), we share your goal. And we believe one of the best ways to achieve this is through collaboration between primary care veterinarians and veterinary specialists. As a non-profit organization, CCC was founded on the premise that working together to care for animals isn’t just good medicine; it’s also good for business. And now we have research that quantifies it. Visit, https://collaborativecarecoalition.orgEmail: director@collaborativecarecoalition.org