AAHA RELEASES SPECIALTY AND REFERRAL VETERINARY PRACTICE BENCHMARKS 

Study findings reveal trends in practices offering specialty services  

DENVER —In an effort to broaden the profession’s understanding of the veterinary specialty services market, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released a new specialty and referral practice benchmarking study. Sponsored by CareCredit, the 2005 Specialty & Referral Veterinary Practice Benchmark Study examines businesses that employ specialists and provide specialty services. The study findings are published in a white paper that is available on the AAHA website at www.aahanet.org.

“The delivery of veterinary services is a team effort that requires referring practices and specialists to work closely together,” says John W. Albers, DVM, executive director of AAHA. “The results of this landmark study reveal information about specialist and referral practices that we hope will promote increased understanding and communication between referring veterinarians and specialists.”

The study found that small-animal, clinical, board-certified specialists own or work in about 746 practices in the U.S. Of those included in the survey, 70 percent are smaller-sized practices, typically including one veterinary specialist supported by a staff of four to five. However, significant variations in staffing trends were found within small, mid-size and large practice segments, suggesting that specialists staff their practices in many different ways.

Despite the variations reported in practice size, the average revenue per specialist was found to be fairly consistent across practice size, with the average revenue ranging from $504,000 to $555,000 per specialist. Interestingly, the average revenue per specialist was found to decrease as the practice grew in staff size. Revenue per person, which included specialists and staff, was found to be far less consistent, indicating the need for further study into the roles that specialist and nonspecialist veterinarians play in their practices.

“This study established benchmarks in many key areas of specialty and referral practice, as well as brought to light several areas that we hope to examine in future research,” says Dr. Albers. “The results are primarily indicative of trends and should be interpreted qualitatively.”

The AAHA study was led by a task force comprised of specialty veterinarians, specialty practice administrators and others representing AAHA, CareCredit and several specialty colleges. The study was conducted by Hiner & Partners, Inc., a marketing diagnostics and strategies firm.

The American Animal Hospital Association is an international organization of more than 36,000 veterinary care providers who treat companion animals. Established in 1933, the association is well known among veterinarians for its high standards for hospitals and pet health care. For more information about AAHA, visit the association online at www.aahanet.org.

View complete study findings (pdf)