IVMA
Communiqu� 
"Serving veterinarians for the benefit of animal and human health"
April 19, 2016
In This Issue
Dates to Remember
May 6
Spring Practice Management Communication Workshop

April 21
IVMA Executive Board Meeting

For more information on any of these events visit www.iowavma.org.


   
VMLRP Shortage Areas Announced - Applications Being Accepted
Seven Iowa counties and their adjacent counties (51 total) have been designated as veterinary shortage situations for 2016 for the USDA's Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP). Approved applicants who commit to provide veterinary services for at least three years in one of these area, may be repaid for up to $25,000 of your student loan debt per year by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The 2016 counties for Iowa selected include Henry, Cass, O'Brien, Tama, Clarke, Dubuque and Wapello and their adjacent counties. There is also an USDA FSIS Veterinary Inspector position in Storm Lake that is eligible for the loan repayment benefit.
 
To apply, visit the USDA's Applicants Page  and the  Application Guide is a good resource. All applications must be received by the USDA by MAY 20, 2016 to be considered. Faxed and emailed applications are not accepted.
 
A webinar was held on April 12 to assist in the application process. A recording of the webinar can be found here on the USDA website.
 
If you know of a qualified veterinarian in one of the designated counties or adjacent counties, please have them contact Iowa State Veterinarian, Dr. David Schmitt at 515-281-8601.
Spring Clean-up at Living History Farms
One of the current projects of the IVMA Foundation is the repair and restoration of the Heck Veterinary Infirmary at the 1875 Town of Walnut Hill at Living History Farms in Urbandale. After the repairs are made, volunteers are needed to help clean up the infirmary to prepare for its May 1 season opening.

Join the IVMA officers and other IVMA members on Wednesday, April 27 to help spruce up the interior of the historic veterinary clinic. Volunteers will meet at 11:30 am and enjoy a complementary lunch before the work begins. To register, call the IVMA office at 800-369-9564 or email at
[email protected] .
Oppose Mandatory Prescription Writing! 

Tell Congress to oppose mandatory prescription writing for veterinarians!

We need your help now! A congressional hearing has been scheduled for The Fairness to Pet Owners Act (H.R. 3174), which was reintroduced in July 2015.
 
The bill, championed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), would require veterinarians to provide clients with written prescriptions for their pets regardless of whether the clients wish to fill the prescription at the clinic on site.
 
Despite significant opposition to this bill, some in Congress have expressed an interest in moving it through the legislative process. Should H.R. 3174 pass out of committee, it would be very difficult to keep the bill from moving forward and potentially getting a vote by the full House of Representatives.
 
This is where your help is needed! Please take a few minutes to send a message to register your strong opposition and urge your congressional representative to oppose this legislation. Read about this bill here. 
 
 
Agricultural Medicine Course June 13-17, 2016
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health will host Agricultural Medicine: Occupational and Environmental Health for Rural Health Professionals, June 13-17 at the University of Iowa. The course is designed to provide the information and skills needed to enable safety and health professionals to anticipate, recognize, and prevent occupational illnesses and injuries among members of the agricultural community. The course is appropriate for safety and health managers, physicians, nurses, veterinarians, graduate students, and anyone interested in the unique safety and health needs of rural and agricultural communities.

The course includes classroom instruction, farm tours, safety and rescue demonstrations, and a networking reception. Continuing education and academic credits are available. More information is available on the Great Plains Center website.
Grab Your Leash and Get Moving!
It's time to grab your four-legged friend and get moving! During this six-week challenge, you and your canine companion can stay active and healthy together by tracking your daily walk, run or play time. Compete with others in your community and across the state!

The challenge kicks off on April 18. Register now at 
www.livehealthyiowa.org!
For $8, your team receives: 
  • A Toss N Chew dog disc
  • Weekly motivational emails with tips and ideas to stay active and healthy
  • Access to a personal tracking page on the LHI website
  • Unlimited access to online recipes, workouts and health information
  • Opportunity to win incentives and prizes for you and your pup
DEA to Hold National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in April.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced another opportunity for consumers to dispose of unneeded and expired prescription drugs during the 11th DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which will be held April 30, 2016. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, thousands of collection sites will be available across the country to accept unneeded prescription drugs, including controlled substances, for safe and legal disposal. To date, DEA's Take-Back Day initiative has collected a combined total of more than 5.5 million pounds (over 2,750 tons) of unneeded medications, helping to prevent diversion, misuse, and abuse of the drugs. More information about safely disposing of medications at home and finding a permanent local drug disposal program is available in the  Dispose Safely section of the AWARE� website
Tax audits can be time-consuming and costly for small-business owners. Companies may be especially susceptible to audits if they haven't reported income or if their returns differ from the norm in some fashion. Maintaining good financial records can help businesses get through the process. Read more in this article from the Associated Press. 
AVMA Releases 2016 Economic Reports 
The AVMA has released the 2016 Report on Veterinary Markets and the Report on the Market for Veterinary Education, the first two of four reports in their 2016 Economic Reports series.   
The reports are available for free download by all AVMA members and can be purchased by nonmembers along with the rest of the series in their online store.

 The Report on Veterinary Markets focuses on veterinary
markets and h
ighlights some of the key data and information that was shared during the 2015 AVMA Economic Summit. 
  The Report on the Market for Veterinary Education addresses veterinary college applicants, education costs, debt and income levels for new veterinarians, demand for and supply of seats in veterinary colleges, and the very important debt-to-income ratio. 
 
Other reports in the 2016 series include the market for veterinarians, and the market for veterinary service. These reports will be available later in 2016.
Interested in improving your practice profitability?
The AVMA is looking for a few smart veterinarians and their practice managers interested in learning how to build the profitability of their practice. They will be introducing a new practice profitability curriculum at the 2016 AVMA Convention and are looking for practice teams who can commit to attending the sessions and implementing the outcomes into their practice. This is a unique opportunity to revolutionize the way you run your business, based on proprietary data and proven techniques that will be shared by our presenters.

If your two-person practice team is chosen to participate, your practice manager's registration will be discounted by 50%, and you will receive up to 12 months of baseline monitoring, including monthly check-ins to help you implement the program. Space is limited; for more information, email
[email protected]
Technicians Pushing For New Name: Veterinary Nurse
Photo: AVMA.
NAVTA also wants a national standard for credentialing

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America is starting a "veterinary nurse initiative" this year that would rename veterinary technicians as veterinary nurses. The initiative includes trying to establish a national standard for credentialing.

The proposed timeline for the next five to 10 years is for NAVTA to enact such sweeping changes that they would require each state to revise its veterinary practice act. NAVTA says it will spend 2016 researching the best options, consulting with attorneys, professional organizations, and legislatures along with global, national, and state VMAs. The association will then develop a strategic plan on the basis of feedback from these entities, according to NAVTA's position statement on the term "veterinary nurse." 
Spring Practice Management Workshop
Bring your entire staff to the 2016 IVMA Practice Management Workshop! Zoetis and the IVMA are sponsoring a 1 day workshop based on the Zoetis PeopleFirst program which focuses on improving leadership skills and helping you and your staff become more effective communicators with clients, staff and co-workers. The program will offer 5.25 hours of continuing education.

When:
Friday, May 6, 8:30 am -4:30 pm
Where: Courtyard by Marriott, Ankeny
Who: Any and all veterinary professionals


 The IVMA Communiqu� is published bi-monthly by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.
1605 N. Ankeny Blvd Suite 110
Ankeny, IA 50023
515-965-9237 or Toll Free 800-369-9564
Visit our Website at www.iowavma.org

Iowa Veterinary Medical Association | 1605 N. Ankeny Blvd Suite 110 | Ankeny | IA | 50023