Niemiec Rebecca, Champine Veronica, Frey Danielle, Lobdell Allyce, Steele Apryl, Vaiden Claire, Kogan Lori, Mertens Andrew
Animal-Human Policy Center, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
Front Vet Sci. 2024 Jul 4;11:1419295. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1419295. eCollection 2024.
(1) Assess and compare the perceptions of pet owners and veterinary professionals pertaining to the extent of veterinary workforce and access to care challenges in 2023 in Colorado, and (2) Assess what programs, policies, and resources veterinary professionals and pet owners believe would be most effective at addressing access to care and workforce challenges in Colorado.
736 veterinarians, veterinary technicians, or practice/owner manager ("veterinary professionals") in Colorado. A total of 1,209 pet owners (919 from an online survey and 290 from in-person surveying).
Distribution of an online anonymous survey to veterinary professionals in Colorado. Pet owners were surveyed both online and in-person at pet pantry or shelter events.
Veterinary professionals reported significant workforce challenges, including having to frequently divert clients, clients forced to decline medical care or having to euthanize their pets due to cost. Veterinary professionals were especially supportive of policy efforts to enhance recruitment and retention of technicians, including through mechanisms such as clarifying their scope of practice, loan repayment programs, and enhancing career pathways. Colorado pet owners' responses pertaining to the scope of access to care challenges were similar to prior national research. Pet owners reported particularly needing low-cost emergency clinics in their community as well as resources to reduce the cost of care. Pet owners were generally supportive of expanding veterinary care access through telemedicine; indicating they would feel comfortable seeing a veterinarian via telemedicine, even for the first time, and that expanded use of telemedicine would increase their ability to obtain care.
Colorado pet owners and veterinary professionals both identified numerous access to care challenges as well as indicated support for the development of several potential initiatives to address the problem. Low-cost clinics that provide sick and emergency care was the resource rated as being most helpful among pet owners. Further exploration of grants, voucher programs, expansion of telemedicine, increased utilization and title protection for CVTs, and the creation of the veterinary professional associate position are all initiatives that were noted to be worthy of further exploration.
（1）评估并比较宠物主人和兽医专业人员对2023年科罗拉多州兽医劳动力规模以及就医挑战的看法，（2）评估兽医专业人员和宠物主人认为哪些项目、政策和资源最有助于解决科罗拉多州的就医问题和劳动力挑战。
科罗拉多州的736名兽医、兽医技术人员或诊所/业主经理（“兽医专业人员”）。共有1209名宠物主人（919名来自在线调查，290名来自现场调查）。
向科罗拉多州的兽医专业人员发放在线匿名调查问卷。宠物主人通过在线方式以及在宠物食品库或收容所活动现场接受调查。
兽医专业人员报告了严重的劳动力挑战，包括不得不经常转诊客户、客户因费用问题被迫拒绝医疗护理或不得不对宠物实施安乐死。兽医专业人员特别支持旨在加强技术人员招聘和留用的政策措施，包括通过明确其执业范围、贷款偿还计划以及拓展职业发展途径等机制。科罗拉多州宠物主人对就医挑战范围的回答与之前的全国性研究结果相似。宠物主人报告称，他们特别需要社区内的低成本急诊诊所以及降低护理成本的资源。宠物主人普遍支持通过远程医疗扩大兽医护理服务的可及性；表示他们即使首次通过远程医疗看兽医也会感到安心，并且扩大远程医疗的使用将增强他们获得护理的能力。
科罗拉多州的宠物主人和兽医专业人员都指出了众多就医挑战，并表示支持开展多项潜在举措来解决这一问题。提供疾病和急诊护理的低成本诊所是宠物主人认为最有帮助的资源。对赠款、代金券计划、远程医疗的扩展、对兽医技术人员的更多利用和头衔保护以及设立兽医专业助理职位的进一步探索，都是值得进一步研究的举措。
