07/31/2024
WHY ARE WAIT TIMES SO LONG? NVEC SERVICE STATUS UPDATE:
There has been a shortage of veterinarians (DVMs) and veterinary technicians (RVTs) across North America since prior to the pandemic, as noted in the “2020 CVMA Workforce Study” completed by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. The increase in pet ownership, as well as increase in disposable income for many, during the pandemic increased this gap between the growing demand and the lessening supply. Also, as a result of the added strain during the pandemic, many veterinary professionals left the industry due to burnout from overwork, stress, negative interactions with pet owners, and high debt loads, leaving even less supply to meet the growing demand. [The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 30 per cent of Canadian veterinarians and 50 per cent of vet technicians are in the advanced stages of burnout.]
Here in Niagara, NVEC and many other clinics have been attempting to recruit new DVMs and RVTs on a constant basis over the last 7 years, and it has only become more challenging as we compete with the large corporations that are consolidating the industry and with the GTA Region, which is often more attractive to candidates.
In 2019 we had 7 full time DVMs as well as part time help that allowed us to have a second DVM on every day between 12pm and 12am, as well as a second daytime DVM on weekends. Presently, we only have 5 full time DVMs (and we are training a 6th recent graduate). This only allows for one DVM per day shift and night shift. We do have some part time help (some experienced ER locum DVMs and some DVMs from local clinics who can work short shifts), so are sometimes able to have a second DVM on but that help is generally only available during weekdays. Frequently, there is enough demand that we could use a second and third DVM (evenings/weekends/holidays), but there are just not DVMs available to hire. There are only so many patients that one DVM can manage at a time, and when they are in surgery, they cannot deal with any new incoming patients.
We are also short RVTs who are responsible for triaging incoming patients, running diagnostics (blood work, xrays, lab work), providing treatment to patients, assisting in surgeries and patient care. We try to have two RVTs on per DVM but there are times when we may only have one. Again, this limits the amount of patients that our team can manage.
As an ER, our primary concern are the most critical clients whose lives are at risk, and they need to be handled first. These cases can take several hours to stabilize and treat. We also try to prioritize cases where a patient needs to be euthanized, so we are not leaving pets suffering any longer than needed. Most days, you will find 5-10 patients hospitalized in the back (on IV fluids, receiving ongoing treatment). These cases might include: post-surgical patients, cats with urinary blockages, diabetic pets, seizuring pets, pets requiring ongoing fluids and medications, and patients recovering from or awaiting referral treatment for trauma incidents. On weekends/holidays, this number can be even higher. This is a significant workload for our team – particularly if we only have one DVM. This hard reality limits the number of less critical, urgent care cases that we are able to see, and that can be fit into the schedule around providing care for the type of cases noted above. It is frustrating and often heartbreaking for our team to know that they are not able to meet the demand for our service, and that there are pets in need of care we are simply unable to provide in a timely manner. They are working as hard as they can to do as much as they can, so please be kind, patient and understanding if you have to wait for service.
When you call, our receptionist will give you information about our status (ie. number of patients in hospital already, number of patients waiting to be seen, number of DVMs on, whether we are short staffed in other ways) and an estimate of current wait times (particularly if your pet is relatively stable and is an urgent care case, rather than critical). If our team does not feel they can provide the timely, critical care for crisis, life-threatening situations (our DVM is in surgery, or already dealing with one or more critical cases they can’t step away from), then we may provide you with alternative ER referrals so that you can get the care your pet needs immediately as we want to ensure your pet gets the care they need more quickly than we may be able to provide.
Our wait time estimate is based on the best information available at that time, but wait times will fluctuate as new cases come in and current cases are dealt with. A critical, life-threatening case can add hours to your wait time if we only have one DVM. We often see several euthanasia cases daily and each of those may require at least 30 minutes, which can add to wait times for stable patients. A veterinary ER is very much like a human ER – there are no appointments and you will be seen in order of medical priority ONLY. Wait times are very unpredictable and change regularly. We recommend you bring a book, refreshments, or other items to keep you comfortable and occupied while here. We recommend you do not bring extra people with you unless absolutely necessary, as our space is limited. We do provide refreshments, wifi, a charging station and other items to try to make your wait more comfortable. Currently on weekends, stable cases should expect to wait 6 to 12 hours to be seen. Holidays, you can expect an even longer wait time.
NVEC is a 24 hour, 7 day/week emergency veterinary hospital, offering the highest standard of care to our patients.
