Abstract
‘Recession’, ‘feeling the pinch’ and ‘economic downturn’ have become an all-too-familiar part of our day-to-day vocabulary. Every business sector has, to some extent or another, been affected by the recent slowing of the world economy. In the UK, as in some other countries, well-known brands have gone by the wayside and long-established high street shops have had to stop trading, while others have had to profoundly rethink the way they do business.
From our experience of practice in the UK, the veterinary market certainly enjoyed a boom in the first decade of this century. In response to an increase in demand from pet owners for expert care, and a growing number of insured pets, the number and size of referral clinics, as well as the facilities they offered, rapidly expanded. Although the veterinary market was not at the sharp end of the economic downturn, many practices are now feeling the pinch — and, again, this is not limited to the UK. The question that is on many of our lips is will the situation get worse or is our industry solid enough to ‘ride’ this economic slump?
Even the financial experts, it seems, did not predict the extent of the crisis. In hindsight, the ‘bubble burst’ appears to have been fairly predictable, suggesting that the experts refused to see a situation that was staring them in the face. Are we guilty of the same in the veterinary profession and is it time for a rethink of the way we do business?
The prospect of dealing with an insured animal was, until recently, pretty much a guarantee of payment. Many insurance companies are clearly also feeling the pinch and are starting to keep a closer eye on the veterinary bill. This is not surprising; how many other insurance sectors offer an ‘open cheque book’? It is certainly not the case with human private medical insurance, where a set procedure is often covered for a set fee.
Just as insurance has contributed to a boom in veterinary services in the UK in recent years, so reduced insurance cover (fewer, cheaper, more restrictive policies, and increased scrutiny) might drive the next changes.
You may be wondering how all of this is relevant to a JFMS ‘Clinical Practice’ issue on feline neurology. The answer is that, when finances are restricted, training, experience, clinical skills and a rational approach to a specific complaint assume even more importance, and ‘scattergun diagnostics’ become even less justifiable.
When finances are restricted, a logical approach to our neurology cases becomes even more key, and ‘scattergun diagnostics’ even less justifiable
Building on the success of the first special issue on feline neurology, published in May 2009 (JFMS, volume 11, issue 5), this second issue covers common neurological conditions in cats such as head injury, neurological causes of blindness and abnormal behaviour, common neuromuscular diseases, acute spinal injuries and infectious causes of central nervous system disease. As in the previous issue, the emphasis in these articles is on a logical and practical stepwise approach to a neurological case, ensuring focused, appropriate and cost-effective management. With this goal in mind, an outstanding array of talented neurologists and feline experts has put together this second special issue, which we hope you will thoroughly enjoy.