INDUSTRY NEWS
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A Look at the Veterinary Industry Four Years Post Pandemic
By Elycia Degenhardt, BA, CVT
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remember driving to work on March 12th, 2020, the day a public health emergency was declared in my city. I walked into an eerily quiet clinic and gathered with my coworkers, waiting to discuss how we were going to proceed. For the next year and beyond, work and life took on a bizarre, unfamiliar shape. I fortunately came through without suffering any major personal tragedies, and slowly pieces of pandemic life fell away. On May 11th, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially ended the Covid-19 public health emergency.

With the pandemic behind us, where are we now? Is everything back to normal?

Well, not exactly…

Stress and Trauma
It is likely no surprise that many of us are more stressed than we were before the pandemic. The sudden shifting or loss of routine, chronic fear and uncertainty, and, for many, personal illness and loss all contributed to stress during the height of the crisis. Despite the resolution of pandemic lockdown conditions, chronic stress remains an issue in the general population.

The American Psychological Association’s “Stress In America 2023” report reveals evidence of long-term stress that psychologists are identifying as effects of collective trauma. The percent of adults who rated their stress an eight out of 10 or higher has increased in nearly all age groups (the exception was 65+). The pandemic is not the only source of stress. Stress regarding media, finances, family responsibilities and discrimination are all cited as having increased since 2019.1

The physical and psychological impacts of this stress are significant. Chronic stress is linked to inflammation, heart disease, digestive issues and a host of other ailments. This is reflected in an increase in chronic illnesses since the pandemic.

Our psychological health has also suffered. Reported incidence of diagnoses of mental illnesses has increased, and a third of adults surveyed report being too stressed to think about the future. Mental health conditions can impair executive functioning, making it challenging for individuals to concentrate, plan and organize in everyday life. They can also affect emotional regulation and decrease one’s ability to cope with unexpected situations, increasing stress and challenges associated with interpersonal interactions.

Stress can even physically affect your brain, contributing to loss of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex. This loss may decrease cognitive function and impair working memory, negatively impacting an individual’s ability to learn, recall and concentrate.2 Ironically, chronic stress even damages the part of our brain we need in order to manage and recognize stress, making it even harder to regain normal functioning.

It is important to acknowledge that even though the acute panic of the pandemic is over, people are still dealing with stress and trauma. We can help one another by being patient and acknowledging the real difficulties that follow such a huge life event. Recognizing that someone’s perceived inattentiveness, “brain fog,” decreased motivation or emotional dysregulation may have a root cause helps us remain empathetic. We should similarly respond to our own struggles with compassion.

Social support networks have been shown to have a significant positive impact on people recovering from and living with mental illness, stress and trauma. While many of us may still be struggling to reestablish social lives after lockdown, connecting with people who have a positive impact on your life can be a huge stress reliever.

Professional mental health support is also an important component of processing and coping with change, trauma and stress. It is common to feel you are not “stressed enough” to seek help—two-thirds of adults in the APA survey said as much—but anyone who feels they need support should not hesitate to turn to a professional. We all carry the effects of what we have lived through, and learning to manage that is part of moving forward.

Work Culture
If you have stopped in to get a late-night donut at your favorite haunt only to find them closed much earlier than they used to be, you have witnessed one aspect of the shift in work culture since the pandemic. Increased consumer preference for online shopping and takeout, worker shortages and greater value placed on work-life balance are just some of the factors that have changed the way businesses operate.

As much as you might want that 10-p.m. donut, it’s important to recognize that no one really wants to be working that late, especially at donut-shop wages. People are weighing the costs and benefits of work differently now than they did before the pandemic, and the benefits are frequently coming up short. With cost of living—especially housing costs—skyrocketing, employees in many industries are struggling to keep up, and veterinary medicine is no exception.

A mobile phone featuring a doctor's contact photo icon on the screen
Veterinary medicine was utilizing digital and online services before the pandemic, but curbside medicine brought telehealth into the forefront of daily practice.
While a 2022 NAVTA survey of veterinary technicians reports that the average vet tech is earning 25% more than they were in 2016, that increase does not necessarily translate to improved financial stability. Thirty-three percent of veterinary technicians are working a second job, a 6% increase since 2016. Low salary is the most significant issue facing technicians and the most challenging aspect of the job, according to survey respondents.3 Even with more employers in veterinary medicine now offering benefits such as dental, vision and overtime pay, financial concerns remain a significant issue for veterinary team members.

In addition, veterinary professionals, like much of the general population, often struggle with work-life balance. Burnout and compassion fatigue are still the top two wellness issues cited by veterinary technicians in the NAVTA survey. Work-life balance is generally considered a key factor in preventing burnout, and since the pandemic, many industries are finding it in remote or hybrid work. And while remote work is not an option widely available in veterinary medicine, there are other ways to encourage balance.

“The Merck Animal Health 2023 Veterinary Wellbeing Study” revealed that fewer veterinarians are working evenings, weekends, holidays or extended hours than in previous years.4 Decreased work hours can free up time for family, friends, exercise and sleep, all activities associated with lower burnout. Other ways to improve work-life balance include supporting and using paid time off, respecting and establishing boundaries regarding workplace relationships and expectations, and avoiding communication about workplace concerns outside of scheduled work hours.

Expanding Technologies
Veterinary medicine was utilizing digital and online services before the pandemic, but curbside medicine brought telehealth into the forefront of daily practice. Apps that offer direct booking, online payments, automated reminders and follow-ups, and text, chat and video services can be integrated into practice integration management software, providing convenience for the client and reducing strain on veterinary staff. Additionally, pet portals give clients remote access to medical records, invoices and medical conversations. In our current culture, easy online options play an important role in client experience.

Some clinics are utilizing video appointments to increase availability and accessibility of veterinary care, mirroring their increased use in human healthcare. Video appointments can reduce stress for some patients and allow clients to have their pet seen who may otherwise struggle to fit a veterinary appointment into their busy schedule.

While there are a growing number of companies offering opportunities to connect virtually with a vet, the AVMA recommends telehealth, with the exception of teleadvice and teletriage, be conducted within an existing Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR).5 It is important to consider legal concerns regarding telemedicine, which may vary from state to state.

Another technology making waves is artificial intelligence. While AI has been around in some form for decades, 2023 marked a massive increase in its use and relevance. With AI technology ranging from predictive text and customer support chatbots to performing surgery, the possibilities, as well as concerns, are extensive.

Daily applications for streamlining tasks such as voice-to-text technology are largely welcomed by busy veterinary professionals. And while AI may be a matter of convenience for some, for others, it can offer a step toward inclusion. Voice technology, transcription, translation and virtual assistant programs all have great potential to reduce barriers for a wide range of individuals.

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Voice technology, transcription, translation and virtual assistant programs all have great potential to reduce barriers for a wide range of individuals.
AI is also revolutionizing human and veterinary medicine with diagnostic, predictive and drug-development capabilities. In its current form, AI generally requires human review, but it holds promise as a way to increase efficiency, accessibility, and potentially accuracy in many aspects of life and practice.
A New Normal
There are ways in which our lives, and even ourselves, are different than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of us may feel more affected than others, but all of us are participating in our world’s progression and adaptation. By acknowledging changes, we can better understand our present and shape our future. Things may not be back to the old normal, but a new normal offers promise of growth, hope and healing.
References:
  1. American Psychological Association. (2023, November). Stress in America 2023: A nation recovering from collective trauma. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2023/collective-trauma-recovery
  2. McPhillips, D. (2023, March 7). Stress may lead to lower cognitive function, study finds. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/07/health/high-stress-lower-cognition-study-wellness/index.html
  3. NAVTA 2022 Demographic Survey Results. (2023, February 13). National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. https://drive.google.com/file/d/11pmYzIouybfL55YsduRbaZ1TtMD1i2DB/view
  4. Improving Wellbeing and Mental Health: Merck Animal Health 2023 Veterinary Wellbeing Study. (2024). Merck Animal Health. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/offload-downloads/2023-vet-wellbeing-presentation
  5. Telemedicine. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/telemedicine
Elycia Degenhardt headshot
Elycia Degenhardt is a certified veterinary technician and instructor in an AVMA CVTEA accredited Veterinary Technician program in Madison, Wisconsin. Elycia earned degrees from the University of Wisconsin- Madison and Madison College and continues to learn new things every day through her career and life experiences.
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