How the producer's attitude towards risk affects the relative value of veterinary services

The effect of producer attitude towards risk in decision making was studied using a data set from nine diaries in Tulare County, California, over a 30-month period. A statistical production model was used to determine the probable outcome of management decisions involving the input variables feed, capital investment, type and level of veterinary service, herd size and management quality. The relative value of 1% increments of change in these variables was estimated using a relative productivity index. These relative values were then calculated using a factor to account for three attitude towards risk (risk neutral, low risk aversion, high risk aversion). Incremental improvements in herd size, and the level of scheduled veterinary services were calculated to have the greatest potential impact on productivity. As risk aversion increased, the relative importance of management quality as an input variable also increased (compared to the other input variables). Scheduled veterinary services are shown to have an effect on productivity which emergency veterinary services do not. An implication of the study is that highly risk-averse producers may demand veterinary services geared to complementing and improving management quality.     

Bayesian evaluation of budgets for endemic disease control: An example using management changes to reduce milk somatic cell count early in the first lactation of Irish dairy cows

The aim of this research was to determine budgets for specific management interventions to control heifer mastitis in Irish dairy herds as an example of evidence synthesis and 1-step Bayesian micro-simulation in a veterinary context. Budgets were determined for different decision makers based on their willingness to pay. Reducing the prevalence of heifers with a high milk somatic cell count (SCC) early in the first lactation could be achieved through herd level management interventions for pre- and peri-partum heifers, however the cost effectiveness of these interventions is unknown. A synthesis of multiple sources of evidence, accounting for variability and uncertainty in the available data is invaluable to inform decision makers around likely economic outcomes of investing in disease control measures. One analytical approach to this is Bayesian micro-simulation, where the trajectory of different individuals undergoing specific interventions is simulated. The classic micro-simulation framework was extended to encompass synthesis of evidence from 2 separate statistical models and previous research, with the outcome for an individual cow or herd assessed in terms of changes in lifetime milk yield, disposal risk, and likely financial returns conditional on the interventions being simultaneously applied. The 3 interventions tested were storage of bedding inside, decreasing transition yard stocking density, and spreading of bedding evenly in the calving area. Budgets for the interventions were determined based on the minimum expected return on investment, and the probability of the desired outcome. Budgets for interventions to control heifer mastitis were highly dependent on the decision maker's willingness to pay, and hence minimum expected return on investment. Understanding the requirements of decision makers and their rational spending limits would be useful for the development of specific interventions for particular farms to control heifer mastitis, and other endemic diseases.     

兽医临床药品的研发与注册——了解兽医医疗保健的动态以获得最大的经济效益

投资研发一种新型兽药的成功与失败,最终取决于管理者、兽医医师和畜主是否认同药品的安全性和有效性。药品研发成本最高、费时最长的阶段是注册前的临床药效试验阶段,研发者使用动物疾病模型技术来缩短研发时间和降低研发成本。虽然使用动物疾病模型技术获得的数据是极有价值,但这些数据并不能完全说明药品真实的临床功效。本文使用模型分析方法研究了兽医保健体系中参与者的决策顺序,以便更好的理解决定药物选择的参与者、决定药物是否准入市场的政府管理者以及制药公司之间的相互影响及影响的相对水平。因此,了解药品研发和注册如何影响治疗时药品的选用非常重要,也有助于确保药品在市场中获得最大的经济效益。     

Privatization of Veterinary Services in Developing Countries: A Review

Increasing fiscal constraints on the government, a lackadaisical performance by public sector animal health and breeding services and pressure from donor partners have prompted the governments of various developing countries to rethink the role of the public sector in the provision of veterinary services. Various countries have started to implement, or have already implemented, privatization of some veterinary services. The results are mixed. It is established that private provision alone is not optimal, and a blend of private and public sector veterinary services is required to utilize the virtues of both.The privatization process has also begun in India. Certain state governments in India are pursuing a cost recovery approach and are encouraging private practitioners to cope with the financial constraints and to deliver broad and effective animal health and breeding services. This paper considers the global aspects of the privatization of veterinary services as well as the scenario in India, so as to gain an insight into the very complex and debatable issue of privatization of veterinary services.     

The Zodiak workshop: an innovative model for teaching financial management through partnership with industry

The National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) is working to enhance the non-technical skills, knowledge, aptitudes, and attitudes (SKAs) of veterinarians. This report describes the development of an innovative model for teaching the principles of financial management as they apply to the veterinary practice. Zodiak: The Game of Business Finance and Strategy is a "business literacy" game in which players work together in small teams (generally four people) to run a fictional multi-million-dollar company called Zodiak Industries for three "years" in order to learn principles of business finance and strategy. After finishing the 4.5-hour game, participants spend the rest of the workshop making the right "Connections"-exercises designed to connect what they have learned to business strategies, financial statements, and operational tactics drawn from veterinary practice. Issues addressed for the veterinary practice, with parallels drawn to Zodiak, included return on owner investment in a veterinary practice (vs. salary drawn by owner veterinarians); pricing (setting prices, price elasticity of demand, and relationships between volume, quality, and price); human resources and operations management as they relate to profitability and efficiency; cash flow and management of accounts receivable; and commonly used financial benchmarks. Workshop venues have included Michigan State University, The Ohio State University, the University of Illinois, and Purdue University. Financial and in-kind support were provided through partnership with Pharmacia Animal Health (now Pfizer Animal Health) and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. Through course evaluations, participants generally rated the workshop high as an educational experience and indicated that the most important things learned were related to financial management (principles, terminology, and methods). The most enjoyable aspects of the workshop tended to be group discussions, teamwork, the dynamic/interactive environment, and the "game" atmosphere. Based on these experiences, the Zodiak workshop provides a useful model for teaching career development and practice management topics to veterinary students. The business simulation in a workshop format was especially useful for teaching these "non-mainstream" topics, as traditional classroom lecture approaches might not have engaged students sufficiently to achieve effective learning. In addition, the partnership developed between academia and industry offered substantial benefits to both parties. Similar educational approaches should be considered for additional aspects of the non-technical SKAs.     

Financial evaluation and decision making in the swine breeding herd.

As the swine industry continues to evolve and develop a greater business orientation--one that demands justification of costs, benefits, and risk-exposure--the veterinarian will be confronted with the need to develop an economic basis to supplement the biologic. The profession should view such a challenge as an opportunity to broaden its role in serving the businesses that make up the industry. However, to be effective in such an expanded role requires that the veterinarian develop a good working knowledge of risk and risk management as well as the role played by economic evaluation techniques used in financial evaluation in the risk management process. Several potential advantages exist for the veterinarian who determines to expand his or her risk management role by using financial evaluation in the course of day-to-day practice routine: Additional service or consulting income may be generated through evaluating alternatives through decision analysis. Client confidence may be strengthened in the veterinarian and in the recommendations made. The costs of consulting services and health products for the client may be viewed as income-generators instead of being viewed solely as expenses. Referrals of additional progressive clients may be generated by satisfied current clients. The veterinarian may achieve personal satisfaction through substantiating his or her recommendation beyond clinical or experimental judgment. With the capability of using financial evaluation techniques in the evaluation and justification of recommendations comes significant responsibility. Reliance upon financial evaluation techniques as a more objective approach in the management of risk for clients carries with it an inherently greater degree of trust. Such trust must be deserved. The universal adage "garbage in, garbage out" applies directly to financial evaluation. Financial evaluation techniques have the potential to provide the decision-maker with objective and accurate analysis, improving the probability of choosing an optimal course of action for the business. However, the objectivity and accuracy achievable is highly dependent upon the quality and quantity of information used in the analysis. Veterinarians must be cognizant of the increased responsibility demand placed on those using financial evaluation techniques to direct the course of action for their clients. Financial evaluation tools are available to decision-makers that may improve the objectivity of the decision-making process, providing for a greater degree of confidence in the expected outcome. Stated another way, these tools can reduce the number of surprises a decision-maker encounters as a result of the decisions made.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Risk factors for bovine mastitis in the Central Province of Sri Lanka

A study of the risk factors associated with mastitis in Sri Lankan dairy cattle was conducted to inform risk reduction activities to improve the quality and quantity of milk production and dairy farmer income. A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected dairy farms was undertaken to investigate 12 cow and 39 herd level and management risk factors in the Central Province. The farm level prevalence of mastitis (clinical and subclinical) was 48 %, similar to what has been found elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia. Five cow level variables, three herd level variables, and eight management variables remained significant (p?相似文献   

Evaluation of an internal research funding program in a school of veterinary medicine

The present article describes a paradigm for evaluating the internal research funding program of a college or school of veterinary medicine, using as an example a similar exercise recently conducted at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU SVM). The purpose of the exercise was to quantify and evaluate the effectiveness of the LSU SVM internal research funding mechanism known as the Competitive Organized Research Program (CORP). The evaluation resulted in several important observations that will allow us to further improve the effectiveness of our internal research funding program investment. Among the most important of these was the greater return on investment for CORP projects funded with smaller awards (approximately $10,000 US) compared to projects funded with larger awards (approximately $52,000 US). Other colleges and schools of veterinary medicine may find such an exercise similarly informative and beneficial.     

The marketing of herd health and production management services on Dutch dairy farms: perceptions of dairy farmers and their veterinary surgeons

A questionnaire-based survey on veterinary herd health and production management services was conducted on 194 specialist dairy veterinarians and 466 dairy farmers. The farmers were randomly selected from greater than 6,000 farmer clients of the surveyed veterinarians. This paper reports these survey findings and the findings of an earlier survey conducted among the veterinarians. The survey included questions on the attributes of the service itself, the practitioners delivering the service, reasons for participation and the expected future of herd health and production management services. Reasons farmers participated in herd health and production management programmes included; access to routine screening of their herd; increasing profits; and receiving regular veterinary advice or solutions to remedy existing problems. Advantages of participation named included: good management support; higher profits; structural solutions to problems; and being better informed. Differences between farming styles were observed, pointing to the different needs and goals of farming styles. Farmers cited high costs and the time investment required as major disadvantages. The proportion of farmers citing these reasons was lower than expected by the veterinarians. In the future, preventive healthcare will be the main reason of farmers to participate. Farmers who are not using the service can potentially be encouraged to engage the services after gaining increased insight into the herd health and management service structure, the planning of activities, the cost-benefit of the service, veterinary surgeons being more co-operative with other farm advisors and veterinarians being more willing to pay attention to quality issues on the dairy farm.     

The economics of a veterinary hospital

The costs involved in building a small animal hospital are discussed. Running costs and gross turnover are compared immediately before and after building.

SUMMARY

We have attempted to discuss in the frankest possible manner the economics of a purpose-built small animal hospital. It must be remembered, however, that the financial return is only one factor to be considered in such a project. Pleasant working conditions for veterinary surgeon and lay staff, improved waiting facilities, more efficient reception, better surgical facilities and better patient accommodation have led in this practice to a much improved standard of veterinary medicine and surgery. Thus animal, client, staff and veterinary surgeon all benefit from improved facilities.
During the next decade there is little doubt many more hospitals will be built in this country. At the moment many of our colleagues are considering taking what is probably the biggest, single, financial investment of their lives. We hope this paper will assist them in making this decision.
Résumé. Les auteurs donnent des précisions sur les dépenses à engager pour la construction d'un hôpital pour petits animaux et sur les frais généraux et le chiffre d'affaires brut immé-diatement avant et après la construction.
Zusammenfassung. Die bei der Errichtung einer kleinen Tierklinik entstehenden Kosten werden besprochen. Laufende Kosten und Bruttoumsatz unmittelbar vor und nach dem Bau werden miteinander verglichen.     

EVALUATION OF TWO OBJECTIVE METHODS TO OPTIMIZE KVP AND PERSONNEL EXPOSURE USING A DIGITAL INDIRECT FLAT PANEL DETECTOR AND SIMULATED VETERINARY PATIENTS

It is important to optimize digital radiographic technique settings for small animal imaging in order to maximize image quality while minimizing radiation exposure to personnel. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two objective methods for determining optimal kVp values for an indirect flat panel digital detector. One method considered both image quality and personnel exposure as endpoints and one considered only image quality. Phantoms simulated veterinary patients of varying thicknesses with lesions of varying sizes. Phantoms were exposed to a range of kVp values (60, 81, 100, and 121), using different mAs settings for each phantom. Additionally, all phantoms were exposed to a standard test exposure of 100 kVp/2.5 mAs. Scattered radiation was recorded and used as a measure of personnel exposure. When personnel exposure was considered, a figure of merit was calculated as an endpoint of optimization. The optimal kVp value for each phantom was determined based on the highest signal difference‐to‐noise ratio with or without inclusion of the figure of merit. When personnel exposure was not considered, increasing kVp resulted in higher signal difference‐to‐noise ratios and personnel exposure increased when both patient thickness and kVp increased. Findings indicated that a single standard technique of 100 kVp/2.5 mAs was only optimal for most medium‐sized patients. Images of thinner patients should be made with a lower kVp. Very large patients require a higher kVp than 100 regardless of the optimization method used. Personnel exposure from optimized techniques was low and not expected to exceed annual occupational dose limits.     

Economic decision making in veterinary practice: Expected value and risk as dual utility scales

Measurement of variance or standard deviation of return values provides a method of quantifying the riskiness of a particular course of action. The quantified risk can be used together with expected return value as dual criteria for ranking alternatives in decision analysis. Furthermore, when choosing between interventions, a risk and return break-even point can be determined. Depending on the decision-maker's attitude to risk, risk consideration may modify a decision made by comparison of expected values alone.     

Optimal risk management versus willingness to pay for BVDV control options

Previous work has shown that the least-cost BVD-control option for cow-calf herds in Scotland was not necessarily the risk-minimising option. Thus, assessing BVDV prevention measures must account for risk reduction as well as decision-makers' attitude towards risks. We therefore describe a method to do this using a hypothetical example. Data for this analysis were generated using a simulation model of BVDV transmission in a typical Scottish cow-calf herd over a 10-year period. Herd infection/re-infection was adjusted to reflect the expected risk of infection/re-infection and the use of either biosecurity or vaccination strategies at various levels of effectiveness. The level of risk-free financial return that maximises farmers' utility of wealth was significantly affected by the assumed effectiveness of the control strategy. More importantly, it was observed that utility maximisation of wealth as a business objective is not an optimal solution in terms of animal welfare when dealing with a BVDV outbreak.     

Risk-adjusted expected return for selection decisions

The results of genetic evaluation are predictions of breeding values for the selection candidates, and these involve uncertainty with regard to future returns from the use of those selected individuals. This uncertainty is due to differential variability in BLUP of breeding values and can be translated into risk: High fluctuations mean greater risk, which is not taken into account by just looking at expected return. In this research, the methodology of value at risk (VaR) and expected shortfall is introduced for animal breeding decisions as a means to adjust the expected return for the cost of uncertainty in prediction of breeding values. This methodology has recently received a great deal of attention from financial institutions. Given a specified probability alpha, VaR is the alpha-quantile of the distribution of economic returns. The conditional value at risk (CVaR), or expected shortfall, is the expectation of the economic returns, which are less or equal to the VaR. By subtracting the CVaR from the predicted aggregate genotype (muR), a risk-adjusted expected return (RAER) measure was obtained. The measures muR, VaR, and RAER were calculated for a data set with progeny of 161 Polled Hereford bulls belonging to a beef cattle company. The Pearson and Spearman correlations between muR and RAER were 0.89 (P < 0.001) and 0.90 (P < 0.001), respectively. Even though the latter correlation was high, some bulls ranked differently for muR compared with RAER. The Pearson correlation between muR and VaR was low (0.124) and nonsignificant (P > 0.05), whereas the correlation between VaR and RAER was -0.31 (P < 0.0001). The results indicate the need to take into account the adjustment for risk in expected return in order to alleviate the effects of possible losses when overrated animals are selected.     

Introduction to interventional radiology for the criticalist

Objectives – To introduce the basic equipment necessary to perform interventional radiology (IR) techniques in the veterinary setting, particularly those procedures of interest to the criticalist. Data Sources – Veterinary and human literature as well as author's experience. Human Data Synthesis – Since the 1950s, diagnostic angiography has played an important role in human medicine. However, over the last 2–3 decades, this once purely diagnostic modality has become a subspecialty in human medicine with vast applications throughout the body. These techniques have replaced more invasive surgeries as the standard‐of‐care in many circumstances. Veterinary Data Synthesis – Although comparable data are not available in the veterinary literature, many IR and interventional endoscopy techniques are poised to replace more invasive procedures in veterinary medicine. In addition, these techniques have already been shown to offer treatment options for patients in whom more traditional therapies have failed, have been declined, or are not indicated due to comorbidities or substantial risk to patient health. Conclusions – Like our human medical counterparts, the use of IR techniques will likely play and increasingly important role in the care of veterinary patients. With this in mind, it is important to become familiar with both the equipment used in these techniques as well as their applications both currently in clinical cases and in the near future.     

Costs of veterinary services and vaccines/drugs used for prevention and treatment of diseases in 86 Colorado cow-calf operations participating in the National Animal Health Monitoring System (1986-1988)

Eighty-six cow-calf operations involved in the Colorado National Animal Health Monitoring System were monitored for a 12-month period, and data were collected on the incidence, prevention, and costs of disease. The costs of veterinary services and vaccines/drugs used in the treatment and prevention of disease conditions in these beef herds were determined and expressed on a per cow basis. Beef producers in this study spent an average of $2.04 ($0 to $29.88) per cow annually on veterinary services for treatment of disease conditions. The cost of veterinary services was a relatively small percentage (5.4%) of the total mean cost of disease incidence. The reproductive tract disease class was the most costly class in terms of veterinary services for disease treatment ($0.99/cow). Dystocia was the disease condition with the largest veterinary treatment cost. The total mean annual cost of drugs used in the treatment of disease conditions was $1.22/cow. The enteric, miscellaneous, and respiratory tract disease classes had similar mean drug costs for disease treatment and ranged from $0.31 to $0.39/cow. The total mean annual cost of veterinary services for administration of preventive measures in these herds was $1.85/cow ($0 to $12.03). Pregnancy examination, breeding soundness examination in bulls, brucellosis vaccination, pulmonary arterial pressure test, and campylobacteriosis vaccination accounted for over 90% of the money spent for preventive veterinary services. Approximately 60% of the total mean annual disease prevention cost was attributed to the purchase of vaccines/drugs ($6.59/cow).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Continuing professional development for veterinarians

Continuing professional development for veterinarians is expected to commence in the year after graduation and continue until retirement. The World Organisation for Animal Health standard for veterinary services is based on principles of an ethical, organisational and technical nature, and a mix of regulation, self-regulation and quality assurance approaches are used. Few jurisdictions have made a minimum requirement of continuing professional development, measured in hours or units, mandatory in 2004, however, there is an increasing expectation of veterinarians to keep a personal record of their continuing professional development activities. Such records might assist in defending complaints about professional misconduct, and provide a basis for planning and monitoring personal professional growth. Continuing professional development can be obtained by a variety of means through structured and unstructured learning activities. The rapid advances in communication technologies and ready access to available electronic databases at the beginning of the 21st century is rapidly changing the way students learn in veterinary schools and how they will acquire continuing professional development during their careers. Universities, governments, professional associations and special interest groups all have roles to play in the delivery of continuing professional development to the veterinary profession and to ensure a structure is in place to monitor improvements in the delivery of quality veterinary services.     

Financing the Delivery of Animal Health Services in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Ghana

Inadequate financing for the delivery of animal health services in many developing countries has been blamed for lack of efficiency and effectiveness of veterinary services. There are no reports of how the delivery of veterinary services in Ghana is financed. The aim of this paper is to provide information on the funding of veterinary services in Ghana to help in decision making on resource allocation.Various indicators and measures were used in assessing the adequacy of financing and resource allocation from 1990 to 1995. These measures were the veterinary budget as proportions of the national budget, GDP and AGDP; the proportions of the veterinary budget allocated to salaries; the ratios of salaries to non-staff expenditure and of non-staff expenditure to veterinary livestock units and technical staff; coefficient of efficacy; and R- ratio. These generally declined or worsened over the period, deviating from recommended norms where such norms exist. This confirmed the paucity of financing and resource allocation for the delivery of veterinary services. Revenue generation from cost recovery over the 1993–95 period was a potential source of funding, exceeding 100% of non-staff expenditure for 1993 and 1994. However, the revenue generated was not channelled back to veterinary services but went to the national coffers. This served as a disincentive.There is an urgent need to review how veterinary services are financed in Ghana, if the delivery of services is to improve in efficiency and effectiveness.     

Perceived constraints to private veterinary practice in India

We used an exploratory study in two districts of West Bengal State, India to find out the constraints of private veterinary practice. Privatization of veterinary services is being seen as an alternative to government-sponsored veterinary services to livestock. In December 2000 to February 2001, 50 private veterinary practitioners were interviewed from the districts. Their opinion was that weak regulations about competition from illegal practitioners and the use of veterinary drugs, competition by animal-health technicians (who are likely to charge less than veterinarians), absence of efficient diagnostic-laboratory support, and lack of commercial livestock farming were the main constraints faced.     

Assessment of veterinary needs of ruminant livestock owners in Ghana

We assessed the needs of ruminant-livestock owners in three districts in Ghana for veterinary services, the acceptability of particular services or activities and the willingness of people to use services through public or private delivery systems. Purposive sampling was used in choosing 516, 100 and 100 ruminant-livestock owners in East Mamprusi, Savelugu-Nanton and Tamale districts, respectively, for the administration of a questionnaire. The response proportions were 87-99%. Focus-group discussions (FGDs) were done in Savelugu-Nanton and Tamale districts. Animal diseases, housing, and lack of knowledge on management practices were identified as the three most important problems in the districts. Generally, accessibility to veterinary services and drugs was not easy. Large proportions of respondents identified advice on health, bathing or spraying against ectoparasites, castration, deworming, treatment involving injectables, sale of medicines or drugs, treatment for skin diseases, vaccinations, and treatment of wounds as activities that they needed. Many used veterinary staff to meet their needs and were willing to use the services of private veterinary providers if private clinics were established in their localities.