# Keynote Case Study: Patterson Veterinary — Veterinary Medicine Was Accelerating Beyond the Traditional Practice
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Patterson Veterinary invited me to Dallas to speak with several hundred animal-care professionals and sales executives about the future of veterinary medicine. The core message was that this was no longer your grandfather’s world of pet care. Veterinary science was accelerating. Diagnostic technologies were improving. Advanced medical procedures were becoming more common. 3D printing was enabling new forms of prosthetics and surgical planning. Bionic limb technology was advancing. Connected devices were beginning to make continuous animal-health monitoring possible. At the same time, the business of veterinary care was changing just as quickly. Pet owners were becoming more informed — and sometimes misinformed — through online information. Social media was reshaping consumer expectations. Online retail was disrupting the sale of medication and supplies. Amazon and other digital players were placing pressure on traditional distribution models. Industry consolidation was changing competitive dynamics. That meant veterinary organizations had to respond simultaneously to scientific acceleration and business-model disruption. Six trends framed the discussion: Advanced Diagnostics. New imaging, monitoring and analytical tools make animal care more precise and proactive. 3D Printing and Prosthetics. Custom limbs, joints and surgical models expand what veterinary medicine can achieve. Connected Pet Health. Sensors and wearable devices make ongoing monitoring of animal health increasingly practical. Accelerating Medical Science. New drugs, procedures and scientific knowledge continually expand treatment possibilities. Digitally Empowered Pet Owners. Social media and online information change how clients research, question and evaluate care. Retail and Distribution Disruption. Online ordering and new competitors challenge traditional revenue streams around medications and supplies. There was an important paradox in all of this. The more sophisticated veterinary medicine became, the more the client relationship mattered. Advanced science does not automatically create trust. Technology does not automatically create understanding. And online information does not automatically create better decisions. Veterinary professionals increasingly needed to become translators of rapidly expanding knowledge. They needed to help pet owners understand what was possible, what was appropriate and what was credible. That creates both pressure and opportunity. Practices that embrace new technology can provide better care. Organizations that adapt their business model can stay relevant. Professionals who keep learning can move with the accelerating science. But those who assume tomorrow will look like yesterday risk falling behind. The broader lesson from Patterson Veterinary was one that applies across healthcare: When science accelerates, the business model, the skills model and the customer relationship must accelerate with it.

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Source: https://jimcarroll.com/2015/05/keynote-case-study-patterson-veterinary-veterinary-medicine-was-accelerating-beyond-the-traditional-practice/