Many people ask me why it matters who owns veterinary hospitals. If veterinarians can still practice good medicine, should it matter if they work for another veterinarian or a non-veterinary owned corporate group?

I strongly believe that veterinary control is crucial for high-quality care as well as an ongoing investment in veterinarians and their staff. Studies in human healthcare have shown that physician-led hospitals have higher quality. A 2011 study showed that the quality scores of the 100 best hospitals for cancer, digestive, and cardiovascular care were 25% higher in physician run than in non-physician run hospitals. The relationship was confirmed when looking at another 12 specialties.

In addition, if veterinarians do not own practices, profits do not help veterinarians pay off their debt and increase their equity. Instead, the profits leave communities and go back to people who really just want a return on investment.

Veterinarians want help with administration and management. However, I believe quality is higher AND profit stays with veterinarians when administrators and managers work for veterinarians rather than veterinarians working for administrators, whose main goal is providing cash flow for investors.