Communication, telemedicine and soft skills high on the agenda in Heraklion
Professional communication, virtual veterinary care and the importance of soft skills in young graduates were among the top discussion points at the UEVP general assembly, held in Heraklion on 13 June.
Communication project
‘It’s not only important to share information with practitioners in the field, but we must also make sure we reach our younger colleagues,’ confirmed Volker Moser, UEVP president. ‘Our current, very dense, 8-page newsletter is probably no longer fit for purpose as our sole means of communication.’ He went on to describe plans for a digital publishing platform for the UEVP linked to a webpage and accessible via a smartphone app. ‘We need to be more visible, more interactive and involve more people,’ UEVP vice president Ann Criel confirmed. ‘This will be made possible with a dedicated tool for practitioners.’ UEVP vice president Giovanni Guardagnini described how the digital platform would have both a public and a reserved area. All vets using the smartphone app would have permanent access to UEVP news and could select for areas of interest. ‘The app will be live before the next general assembly,’ he promised.
Telemedicine & virtual consultations
‘Whether you like it or not, we’ll have to face the fact that our new clients are digital natives, and not only expect to find your practice on social media but also to interact and make appointments online,’ Björn Becker (Germany) warned. He compared the digital customer journey to the ‘circle of life’, with many digital interactions along the way, from social media and ratings, online appointments, anamnesis and reminders, to digital patient files, reports and loyalty programmes. ‘Telemedicine will not replace face-to-face care but the veterinary service that is digital will surpass the traditional service,’ he stressed.
‘Telemedicine leads to stress reduction for vets, owners and animals,’ assured Christoph Haertel (Austria). Not only would there be less live appointments, it would also facilitate getting paid for teleconsultations and clarify any minor issues. ‘As a pet owner, I would be happy to pay for a video chat for a quick check-up of my dog after an operation rather than spend 2 hours in the car in heavy traffic.’ To those starting out on the digital journey he recommended choosing the solution and software that fits the needs, and reminded everyone that ‘telemedicine is not meant to – and never will – replace the veterinarian.’
Aiming for a win-win situation
Jessica May (UK) provided ten tips for remote consultations, and said that the Veterinary Virtual Care Association (VVCA) provided a wealth of free resources including webinars, infographics and guidance on how to get started and how to check the legal requirements. The VVCA, a global collaboration on remote veterinary care, could look back on the joint experience of over 500,000 teleconsultations in the UK, the USA and Canada. She recommended 3 to 5 years of practical experience before embarking on the digital journey. ‘There’s a lot that’s not yet regulated regarding telemedicine,’ remarked Rens van Dobbenburgh (Netherlands). ‘Many national veterinary statutory bodies are still discussion what’s allowed and what isn’t.’ Jessica May agreed and said that the VVCA provided a map of Europe showing the progress in the various countries. To those questioning the speed of change, she said that ‘whether we like it or not, the train has left the station. The public is driving the change and will turn to Dr Google or to other vets if they don’t feel their needs are met. We should aim for a win-win situation.’
Soft skills: joint session with other FVE sections
A joint panel discussion with the other sections (EASVO, UEVH, EVERI) and IVSA was held on the importance of soft skills. ‘Communication, empathy and flexibility or adaptability are the three main soft skills required by young graduates, according to Vanda Ducic, speaking on behalf of the International Veterinary Students’ Association (IVSA). ‘There’s a lot of pressure on young graduates, and social media has changed the way owners look at vets.’ ‘Know your limits and ask for help if needed,’ recommended recent graduate Gloria Hylviu (Albania). ‘As a veterinarian, whether practitioner or official veterinarian, you will often work alone,’ noted Giovanni Guadagnini (UEVP). Resilience is a vital soft skill to have.’ Volker Moser noted that ‘as human beings we’re all born with soft skills, and we can develop them.’ Although communication is vital, not everyone is a natural, remarked Jason Aldiss (UEVH). ‘While you can train and teach techniques, you will not change the individual. Maybe we are selecting young vets incorrectly,’ he wondered.
Greece: companion animal issues
Blood sampling for DNA testing and sterilisation of owned pets has become mandatory by Greek law, UEVP vice president Athina Trachili (Greece) reported. The 2021 law, promoted by animal protection organisations, aimed to combat the stray animal problem. Unfortunately, the veterinary profession has been excluded from the elaboration of this ‘non-science-based, flawed law,’ she said, ‘which will not solve the stray animal problem, but instead penalise responsible pet owners.’ She added that Greek veterinary practitioners have already held three 24-hour strikes to demonstrate against the law and to be heard by decision makers – so far without results. She called for the support of the European veterinary profession.
‘Humans kiss their pets more often than their partners,’ observed Elias Papadopoulos, specialist in parasitology, during his presentation on parasites and One Health, highlighting the most common pet zoonoses in Greece. There was no point testing cats for Toxoplasma, he observed, in particular since ‘20% of the Greek cat population will have antibodies anyway, and are only infectious for a few days in their lives’. As for Toxocara, a study had shown that over 90% of Greek public parks are infected with these zoonotic helminths, while climate change and travel had recently led Greece to observe its first case of tick-borne encephalitis.
Greece, home to dairy sheep and goats
‘Greek dairy farms with small ruminants perform significantly better if they have a professional relationship with a veterinarian,’ reported George Fthenakis, professor at Thessaly University and a specialist in reproduction and small ruminant medicine. Citing a recently published paper, he noted that, for 30 measured variables, including milk production, number of lambs, mastitis incidence, body condition score and somatic cell count, results were significantly better, showing ‘clear evidence of the benefits of having an attending farm vet.’ Surprisingly, the study also found that the risk of somatic cell count was significantly lower in case the veterinarian was a woman.
‘With its 1.7 million sheep, Crete contains over 20% of the Greek sheep population,’ announced Alexandros Stefanakis, veterinary practitioner from Crete. There were 30 small ruminant vets in Crete, he added, explaining how the extensive rearing system and rich biodiversity translated into very specific Cretan cheeses.
And also…
Julien Le Tual (France) reported that the French veterinary practitioners’ association SNVEL had done a study on stress among vets. The three main stress factors in the life of veterinary practitioners was work overload, clients not paying and lack of staff. The main protective factors were client satisfaction, good staff involvement and a good relationship between veterinary associates. He also described the Amarok support system which monitored the mental wellbeing of vets and would get in touch as soon as indicators suggested a risk for burnout.
The Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) was working towards a mid-tier, ‘advanced veterinary clinician’ degree, Ann Criel (Belgium, UEVP and FECAVA vice president) reported. She also announced that veterinarians could become individual FECAVA members if their country’s association was no longer FECAVA member. Finally, she announced that the Eurocongress would be held in Belgium every 2 years, and invited everyone to the first event, to be held from 3 to 6 September 2025 in Antwerp.
The next UEVP general assembly will be held on 28 November in Brussels.
