Pulse - July 2024 - 7

PULSEPOINTS
Mission Possible:
Practice Ownership Workshop
On Sunday, June 2nd, the SCVMA delivered a workshop on Practice Ownership.
Fifty veterinary professionals, practice owners, recent graduates, RVTs, and CVPMs
gathered at The Anaheim Hotel to learn about the (mostly perceived) barriers to
practice ownership and how to overcome them. Representatives from Roam Realty
and Bank of America discussed the processes, timelines, and benefits of buying a
startup practice or an existing practice. Dr. Peter Weinstein spoke about the Top
Ten Fallacies of Practice Ownership and led a panel discussion. The panel of seven
practice owners shared their journeys to practice ownership and, for some, owning
multiple practices. Inspired attendees remained after the event connecting with colleagues
and sharing resources, ideas, and aspirations of practice ownership.
IN MEMORIAM
Dr. Tom Elston
1948-2024
Often called " the Cat Whisperer, " Dr.
Elston was perfectly suited for his profession.
In fact, cats were his life's work,
as he was one of the first doctors in the
country to specialize in cat-only Veterinary
Medicine in the early 80s. His T.H.E.
Cat Hospital in Irvine was founded on
the belief that cats (and their owners)
deserve a higher level of care than
they often receive in mixed practices.
His calm demeanor not only put cats
at ease, but as he would talk owners
through what was going on with their
cat, they would often find themselves
wishing he were their physician too.
Richard Lyman
Brian Holden
1940-2024
Following his graduation from Arizona
State University with a Bachelor's
degree in journalism, Richard worked
for Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach,
where he was instrumental in raising
funds to build its second tower.
He later worked in administration of
Queen of the Valley Hospital in West
Covina, and segued to become Executive
Director of the Southern California
Veterinary Medical Association, where
he worked from 1980 to 2007.
Richard was a loving husband to
his wife of 62 years, Dale, a devoted
father to his daughters, Beth HoldenGarland
(Gary) and Jennifer Wierks
(Jon), and proud grandfather to four
grandchildren.
Angel Fund Wants
to Help You and
Your Patients
Our cooperative venture with the Animal
Health Foundation has contributed
more than $160,000 to truly needy pet
owners throughout Los Angeles and
Orange counties. The cases have ranged
from major medical conditions to challenging
surgical procedures, but the
common thread is pet owners with real
PULSE
JULY 2024
financial need, who want to provide the
care their pets' need. More information
is available at www.scvma.org or
http://www.animal|healthfoundation.
net/how-we-help/angel-fund.html.
Or, better yet, pick up the phone and
call us at the SCVMA Offices (714-8217493)
or e-mail us at membershipdesk@
scvma.org. We can provide information
or enroll your practice. There is absolutely
no cost to sign up.
An Edna Boydston Grant also can help
your senior clients with cost-of-care issues.
To participate in either funding source,
there must be an SCVMA member
veterinarian at your practice and the
pet owner must not qualify for traditional
sources of funding nor have any
available personal financial resources.
The Angel Fund will gift up to $1000
per hospital each year and the hospital
must contribute an equivalent amount.
The pet owner is committed to paying
only 10 percent. Everybody helps and
everybody is invested in making sure
the best care is provided.
7

http://www.scvma.org https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/how-we-help/angel-fund.html https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/how-we-help/angel-fund.html

Pulse - July 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - July 2024