2024 Tendencies: Innovation and well-being for everyone
Published: 30 January, 2024
Marina Rodriguez Alonso | Veterinarian, master in equine physiotherapy | Product & Brand Leader INDIBA – K-Laser Animal Health
2024 is marked by two significant drivers: innovation in products and services, and awareness of animal and professional well-being. About the latter, we not only see many companies in the sector, including INDIBA, dedicating efforts to creating spaces to promote veterinarians’ well-being, but also WSAVA has chosen to focus its annual guidelines on this topic.
Let’s explore the trends we have identified for this year and what activities you can expect from INDIBA and K-Laser in this regard.
Innovation:
Innovation goes beyond cutting-edge products and technology; it also involves doing things differently, being more original, or, why not, more creative. Current veterinary medicine is advancing rapidly, and innovation is not limited to high-tech procedures in specialized hospitals. General clinics in your neighborhood can also innovate by changing their mindset, integrating attractive products and services, making practices more efficient, and, logically, maintaining a stable business.
How to innovate in your practice?
You can innovate in the way you offer your services to your clients: bundle treatments into packages, introduce treatment options that allow you to see your patient regularly for proper follow-up, constantly evaluate the results and make adjustments where necessary, and invest in products that are of proven quality and efficiency.
Animal Welfare:
The recently approved animal welfare law in Spain reflects a highly debated and awaited regulation. Beyond politics, veterinarians and those caring for animals (from professionals to pet owners) have a moral duty to prioritize gentle practices, minimize harm to patients, and ensure the highest quality of life. Many emerging products in the market emphasize respect for animals, marking a positive shift in animal care.
How to ensure animal welfare in your clinic?
Ensure that the products you use are safe and of quality, avoiding problems and unwanted side effects. It is also important to educate animal guardians about the importance of following the guidelines and treatments prescribed to ensure the success of the treatments.
Well-being of the veterinarians:
Awareness campaigns on veterinarians’ mental health have intensified in recent years. To further support this cause, WSAVA has recently published guidelines on professionals’ mental health. According to WSAVA, “well-being is a state that encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and social health.” The published document provides valuable tips to improve happiness and well-being in the veterinary profession, emphasizing self-awareness, social support, and job enjoyment. It also encourages cultivating hobbies, engaging in volunteer work, and expressing gratitude regularly. It suggests open communication, reflective journaling, and dedicated self-care time. Key aspects include managing workload, maintaining a positive perspective, and seeking professional help when necessary. Organizationally, it advocates for staff training in stress recognition, promoting a culture of self-care, offering support and mentorship, encouraging professional growth, and maintaining work-life balance. Anonymous surveys for feedback are also recommended to understand workplace culture comprehensively.
Are you taking good care of yourself?
We invite you to read the document published by WSAVA, where you will find many tips and tools that you can apply in your daily life. Additionally, there are also national and international support groups you can turn to when you need it. Remember, you are not alone!
Integrative Medicine:
Integrative medicine involves using all available knowledge and tools for the holistic treatment of patients. This means treating animals as a whole rather than focusing on a specific pathology. This approach, though not new, is gaining acceptance, with more veterinarians collaborating to manage patients from an integrative perspective.
How to apply integrative medicine?
In addition to seeing your patients as a whole, don’t be afraid to seek support from colleagues who have training and experience in specific areas. Doing this will add more value to your work as a professional and help you provide better service to your clients.
Cutting-edge Technologies:
Aware of the limitations of our eyes, hands, and even our brains, the use of technologies in veterinary medicine is becoming more frequent and advanced. This is evident not only in diagnostic equipment, such as increasingly impressive CT scanners adapted for patients but also in innovative disease diagnosis, including certain types of cancer previously considered non-existent or impossible to diagnose. These advances are also occurring in treatment modalities, with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Not everything can be cured with medication or requires surgery, making specialties like nutrition, geriatrics, sports medicine, and rehabilitation increasingly important, not only in the minds of veterinarians but, more importantly, in the minds of animal owners.
INDIBA and K-Laser Aligned with Trends:
Our devices, having been in the market for many years, provide a tool for painless treatments, enabling a different treatment approach to reach structures non-invasively. They generate synergy, allowing for faster treatments and earlier functional recovery. This gives professionals confidence in using reliable and safe tools on their patients, trusting that the results will be optimal. Additionally, we are committed to supporting professionals in their well-being with activities and events where they can share experiences and receive advice for a happier professional and personal life.
The year 2024 will, like every year, be more challenging than the previous. Keep innovating, and providing your best service while keeping your well-being in mind. We will be there to accompany you.
Wishing you a great start to the year and a successful 2024!
IMPORTANT: All diagnostics and treatments of injuries and diseases in animals must be done by an animal health professional.
Do you want to try our products?
Contact a Product Expert
Related content:
Products | K-Laser Performance 30