IVMA
Communiqué 
"Serving veterinarians for the benefit of animal and human health"
February 7, 2017
In This Issue
Dates to Remember
February 8-9
IVMA Winter Conference, Altoona

February 22
Legislative Day, Des Moines

For more information on any of these events visit www.iowavma.org.

   
IVMA Winter Conference Begins Tomorrow!  

We will see many of you tomorrow in Altoona for the IVMA Winter Conference.  And when we say "many" we mean it!  There will be over 700 attendees, speakers, students, and vendors participating the two day event!

Don't miss out! You can still attend! Walk-ins welcome! 
 
Head over to Prairie Meadows in Altoona tomorrow, February 8 or Thursday, Feb 9. Registration begins at 7:30 am on Wednesday and at 7:00 am on Thursday.
  
For a list of conference speakers and topics, visit   www.iowavma.org.   
IVMA Office closed for Winter Conference 
vintage_closed_sign.jpg The IVMA office will be closed 11:00 am on Tuesday, February 7 - Thursday, February 9 for the IVMA Winter Conference.  The office will reopen at 8:00 am on Friday, February 10.


PC Supplies

If you would like to place an order for PC Supplies this week, please call the IVMA office by 10:00 am on Tuesday, February 7.  Orders placed after this time will not be processed and shipped until Friday, February 10.

Thank you! 
Could Your Clinic Use an Intern this Summer?
The Student Summer Employment Database at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine was developed to provide first and second-year veterinary students with a resource to locate summer employment and gain valuable clinical experience. This program also aims to provide practitioners with a means to efficiently advertise their employment opportunities.

IVMA Members are needed to make this program a success!
If you are considering hiring a summer intern, now is the time to post the position on the database.   Click here for more information or to post a position.

The database will be on-going; therefore there is no deadline for submissions. However, for summer employment it is suggested that ads be placed by March 1, 2016.  

If you have any questions about the form or the program, please contact the Iowa State SCAVMA IVMA representatives at
ivmarep@iastate.edu . 
You Can Make a Difference! Attend IVMA Legislative Day!
Advocate for the veterinary profession at the 2017 IVMA Legislative Day on February 22. Join with other IVMA members from around the state to represent the veterinary profession, deepen your understanding of the policymaking process and help shape future legislation.
 
We need you to help make a strong showing of veterinarians. The more IVMA members participate in this effort, the stronger voice the IVMA will have.

The day will begin with a breakfast and opening remarks at Embassy Suites Hotel in Des Moines. After breakfast the contingent will head to the Capitol to meet with legislative leaders from the Iowa House and Senate.

Legislative Day (including breakfast and lunch) is free for IVMA members and ISU CVM students. Register online at www.iowavma.org or call the IVMA office at 800-369-9564.

YOU can make a difference!
 
The American Heartworm Society needs your numbers!
The IVMA is a proud Associate Member of Partners for Healthy Pets (PHP) and we are very pleased to announce a collaborative program between PHP, Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE) and our association to implement the concept of forward booking in all veterinary practices in Iowa.

This collaborative program focuses on the importance of forward booking, which simply means scheduling all patients' next appointments before they leave your practice, regardless of the reason for their current visit. This includes medical progress exams and preventive healthcare exams. Forward booking ensures your patients receive the highest quality care at the right time.

The IVMA provides you with all the tools to be successful in implementing forward booking in your practice. How do you get started? Here is the plan:

1. Visit the IVMA website at
  www.iowavma.org and look for the forward booking banner. Click on the banner to link you to resources that include the keys to implementation, training information and communication tips to use with your staff, and a link to order buttons (at no cost!) for your team to wear.

2. Visit
www.vmaexecs.org to find a recorded webinar with preeminent veterinary consultant Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, CVA titled "Why Forward Booking?" It's a great resource, available 24/7 (at no cost) for you and your team to learn more about the benefits of forward booking and how you can implement it in your practice.

3. Talk with the coach! IVMA, along with VMAE, is providing the opportunity to engage with Dr. Karen Felsted in three FREE live coaching sessions. These conference calls will be held on February 14, 21, or 28 at 12 PM  to answer questions you and your staff might have about implementing forward booking in your practice - or to share your great ideas with others! Just visit
www.vmaexecs.org to click the date(s) that work best for you and register to reserve your coaching session connection.
New AVMA Hotline Helps Veterinarians Fight Back Against Cyberbullying
sleepy_beagle_glasses.jpg Two new tools, a cyberbullying hotline and a reputation management service, are now available through the  AVMA's online reputation management resources .  With 20 percent of AVMA members reporting they have experienced cyberbullying and false reviews, the House of Delegates (HOD) and Board of Directors (BOD) prioritized adding additional tools to help member veterinarians combat the emotional and financial damage caused by online detractors.

The 
24/7 DVM Cyberbullying Hotline   answered by experienced crisis management consultants, is now available to members being cyberbullied and in need of immediate assistance. This service includes 30 minutes of free consultation to AVMA members. Additional consultation time is available at a substantially discounted member rate. Read more...
AVMA Seeks Your Opinions on Telemedicine
silver-keyboard2.jpg The AVMA has been investigating telemedicine and how it might be used appropriately within the veterinary profession. The AVMA's Practice Advisory Panel, which was assigned the issue, has provided its final report to the Board of Directors.

The AVMA now wants your input, especially on the Practice Advisory Panel's recommendations regarding the AVMA's Model Veterinary Practice Act and the policy on Remote Consulting, the summary of which starts on page 37 of the report.

Please send comments to Telemedicine@avma.org before March 16, 2017.  Your input is important! AVMA leadership will consider input received by the deadline as it deliberates potential AVMA policy, strategy, and resources on telemedicine. Read more.
Don't Brush it off - February is National Pet Dental Health Month
February is a great time to remind your clients of the importance of proper dental health for their pets and its link to overall good pet health.
Here are several ideas of how to promote dental care in your clinic:
  • Run a special in your clinic for dental cleanings during February;
  • Spread the word on social media about National Pet Dental Health Month and include tips on how to brush pets' teeth;
  • Print and display the free clinic flyer about Pet Dental care found on the AVMA's website (link below);
  • Hand out the Pet Dental Care Brochure available at the AVMA website (link below).
Visit the AVMA National Pet Dental Health month website for more ideas to make sure those pets' teeth stay pearly white.
  The IVMA Communiqué is published bi-monthly by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.
1605 N. Ankeny Blvd Suite 110
Ankeny, IA 50023
515-965-9237 or Toll Free 800-369-9564
Visit our Website at www.iowavma.org