2023 Practice
Management
Symposium
September 15, 2023 / Dewey Beach, Delaware

Does your veterinary team need a jolt of fresh energy and ideas? Bash Halow, CVPM, LVT, has been inspiring veterinary audiences and teams all over the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. We’re fortunate to have him join us on September 15 where he’ll provide laughs, thought provoking exercises, and science driven ideas to inspire your leaders and energize your team.  Additionally, we are excited to welcome Dr. Kate Boatright – veterinarian, author, speaker, and mentor – to inspire you and help you cultivate resilience and maximize patient health.

While VHMA and CVPM do not formally endorse continuing education programs, the Certification Board has reviewed this course material and has approved the 2023 Practice Management Symposium for 6.0 continuing education credits as applicable toward the CVPM continuing education requirement.  VHMA approved course ID 23-35.

Bash Halow, CVPM, LVT

Sponsored by:

Bash is a graduate of the College of William and Mary, a certified veterinary practice manager, and a licensed veterinary technician.  As a veterinary business advisor and a veteran practice manager with more than 20 years of experience, Mr. Halow has helped dozens of veterinary hospitals understand how to build stronger teams and responsibly and ethically grow their businesses.  He is a frequent contributor to Veterinary Economics and DVM 360 and is a member of the editorial advisory board for the FetchDVM360 veterinary conferences.  He is a regular speaker at the annual VPMA Conference in Wales and addressed the Veterinary Management Association at the House of Lords, London, in June 2018.  He is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, PVMA, founder and member of the New Jersey Veterinary Hospital Management Association, founder of the Big Apple Veterinary Management Association in New York City, and proud member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association.  Mr. Halow was the 2013 recipient of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association’s President’s Award for management education in the state of Pennsylvania.  He resides in New York City and has a farm in Pennsylvania that provides all kinds of heartaches and happiness.

Kate Boatright, VMD

Dr. Kate Boatright has been in small animal practice since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. After nearly 8 years of full-time practice in both general practice and emergency clinics, she moved to part-time clinical work to pursue her passion for educating veterinary professionals as a freelance speaker and author. Dr. Boatright enjoys discussing mentorship, the unique challenges facing recent graduates, wellness, and the spectrum of care. She believes deeply in the role of organized veterinary medicine and holds leadership positions in the AVMA and her local and state VMAs. In her remaining time, she stays busy chasing her toddler, running, reading, and watching movies with her husband and cats.

Event Schedule

[ Friday, September 15 • 8:00 am-4:30 pm ]

8:00 – 8:45 am

Registration, Continental Breakfast & Visit Exhibits

Pre-Function Area of Ballroom East

8:45 – 10:15 am
HALOW

Difficult Valuable Conversations

End of life, poor prognosis, no money, employer-employee friction…How are any of us expected to find fulfillment in a career that regularly requires us to walk through land mines? Halow dissects essential elements of difficult conversations and helps attendees learn to use them as bonding experiences with both clients and colleagues.

Ballroom East

10:15  – 10:45 am

Break / Visit Exhibits

Pre-Function Area of Ballroom East

10:45 am – 12:15 pm
HALOW

I Think I’m the Problem, Now What?

Well, the good news is that you’ve admitted it, now let’s see if we can’t find some workable ways to change. In this session, we’ll explore the kind of archetypal leaders that are most prone to getting in their own way. We’ll see if we can’t figure out what drives their dysfunction and come up with some ideas on how each might improve. Lots of research from psychologists and business advisors grounds the lecture in credible data.

Ballroom East

12:15 – 1:00 pm

Lunch

Pre-Function Area of Ballroom East

1:00 – 2:30 pm
BOATRIGHT

Utilizing the Clinical Team to Improve Preventive Care Compliance

Preventive care protocols allow clinics to provide consistent recommendations to their clients and maximize patient health. Client compliance with these recommendations will be most successful when they are heard repeatedly from multiple team members. It is essential that every team member understands the reasons behind the recommendations and knows how to communicate them. This lecture will discuss the creation and implementation of preventive care protocols in your clinic including their development, team training with a specific emphasis on leveraging veterinary technicians in a primary client education role, and marketing preventive care to clients outside of the exam room.

Ballroom East

2:30 – 3:00 pm

Break / Visit Exhibits

Pre-Function Area of Ballroom East

3:00 – 4:30 pm
BOATRIGHT

Promoting Wellbeing in the Workplace

Burnout and mental health challenges are widely recognized in the veterinary profession and affect all members of the veterinary team. These struggles can lead to increased turnover in the clinic and attrition from the profession, leading to significant financial impacts on the industry. This lecture will explore the state of mental health in the veterinary profession and discuss how to recognize burnout in ourselves and our team. We will explore tools and skills that can be used both to recover from and prevent burnout at the individual and team level, with a focus on setting boundaries and cultivating resilience.

Ballroom East

Location

Lighthouse Cove Event Center
1301 Coastal Highway
Dewey Beach, DE  19971

Hyatt Place Dewey Beach
1301 Coastal Highway
Dewey Beach, DE  19971
302.864.9100 (group code G-DELV)

9/14/23 – $149/night (single/double)
9/15/23 – $199/night (single/double)
9/16/23 – $199/night (single/double)
*2-night minimum stay for Friday & Saturday nights

Discounted group rates available until until August 18, 2023

Pricing & Discounts

Discounted registration available through August 31, 2023
Registrations received on September 1 or later will incur an additional $25 fee

  • Veterinarian

  • $150/mo
  • DVMA Member Veterinarian – $150
    Non-Member Veterinarian – $295

    Registration Includes:
    6 hours continuing education credit
    Admission to exhibit hall
    Continental breakfast, breaks, and lunch
    Online lecture notes

  • Licensed Veterinary Technician & Support Staff

  • $75/mo
  • DVMA Member LVT or Support Staff – $75
    Non-Member LVT or Support Staff – $100

    Registration Includes:
    6 hours continuing education credit
    Admission to exhibit hall
    Continental breakfast, breaks, and lunch
    Online lecture notes

  • Practice Manager

  • $125/mo
  • DVMA Member Practice Manager – $125
    Non-Member Practice Manager – $200

    Registration Includes:
    6 hours continuing education credit
    Admission to exhibit hall
    Continental breakfast, breaks, and lunch
    Online lecture notes

Exhibitors

Heart + Paw

Hill’s Pet Nutrition

IDEXX

Monarch Business Consulting

Royal Canin

Saveway Compounding Pharmacy

Virbac

Wedgewood Pharmacy

Become an Exhibitor or Sponsor

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