What if improving your clinic’s communication could reduce turnover, boost job satisfaction, and enhance medical quality? Dr. Jason Coe is back on the podcast with brand-new research that shows how “relational coordination” (aka how roles within your team communicate and collaborate) impacts everything from psychological safety to employee retention. In this episode, Dr. Coe and Dr. Andy Roark dive into the findings from a cross-industry communication model now being applied to veterinary teams. They explore what high vs. low relational coordination looks like in real life, how communication systems like impactful rounds and EMR notes can move the needle, and why this data matters for improving not just morale but also patient outcomes. Whether you're a practice owner, a manager, or just someone who wants your team to function better, this episode offers both inspiration and real takeaways. Gang, let’s get into this episode!

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/relationship-centred-veterinary-medicine-at-the-ontario-veterinary-college

University of Guelph: https://rcvm.uoguelph.ca/

Dr. Know-It-All Card Game: https://drandyroark.com/product/dr-know-it-all-card-game/

Dr. Andy Roark Charming the Angry Client Team Training Course: https://drandyroark.com/charming-the-angry-client/

Dr. Andy Roark Swag: drandyroark.com/shop

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Dr. Jason Coe is a Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. After graduating from the College in 2001, he returned from mixed-animal practice to complete a PhD in the area of veterinary communications in 2008. In the same year, Jason joined the Ontario Veterinary College in the Department of Population Medicine where he has established an active research program examining the human-animal bond as well as the role of interpersonal communications on the outcomes of veterinary care. In his current role at the College, he coordinates the clinical-communication curriculum across all 4 years of the veterinary program and is involved in teaching students about the relationships that exist between people and animals.

Over the past two decades, Jason has established an international reputation for his leadership in veterinary communications, primary-care veterinary education and understanding the human-animal bond. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to several book chapters, and is regularly invited to speak nationally and internationally at scientific and continuing-education conferences. Jason currently holds the VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine (2021-2026), at the Ontario Veterinary College, dedicated to research and education in communication and relationship-building to improve the outcomes of veterinary care. In 2021, Jason was honoured with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award for his notable contributions to the veterinary profession and in 2022, he founded the research program Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College (https://rcvm.uoguelph.ca/).

What do you do when your big, lovable diabetic cat suddenly develops renal disease? You call in the nutritionist cavalry! In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark is joined by boarded veterinary nutritionist Dr. Caitlyn Getty to tackle a real-world “hot mess express” case: Claudia, an obese diabetic cat who’s now showing signs of kidney issues. Together, they dig into the complexities of nutritional management for cats with multiple chronic conditions. Dr. Getty breaks down why common diets can conflict with one another in cases like this, and how Hill’s Prescription Diet Multi-Organ Feline can help bridge the gap. They cover protein and phosphorus challenges, insulin dosing concerns, fiber benefits, and the power of a slow and steady transition when switching foods. Whether you’ve got cats with combo problems like diabetes and kidney disease or just love nerding out over nutrition, this episode is full of practical takeaways and clinical insight. Let’s get into this episode.

Check out the downloadable team training worksheet and follow along together! Empower your team to educate clients using the notes and discussion questions.

This episode is brought to you by Hill's Pet Nutrition!

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ABOUT OUR GUEST

Caitlyn is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® and Scientific Communications Senior Specialist on the US Professional Veterinary Affairs Team at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. She spent 13 years at the University of Illinois completing her BS, DVM, and PhD in Nutritional Sciences. During veterinary school and her PhD, she became very interested in nutrition education of veterinary students and the power of nutrition in health and disease. She completed a rotating small animal medicine and surgery internship on the north side of Chicago and then moved to Raleigh, NC to complete her Small Animal Clinical Nutrition residency at North Carolina State University. She currently lives outside Indianapolis with 4 cats, 2 dogs, and her fiancé!

Dr. Lance Roasa, a veterinarian and practicing lawyer, who is the founder of Roasa Law Group joins Dr. Andy Roark. They dive into two key lawsuits shaking up the veterinary world: LMU Lincoln Memorial University suing the AVMA for anti-competitive practices and veterinary interns launching a class action lawsuit against the Match program and some vet schools. Dr. Roasa breaks down both cases, discussing the reasons behind them, the arguments involved, and the potential impact on the profession. They also touch on broader issues like the influence of venture capitalists and the evolving landscape of veterinary medicine. Let's get into this.

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Dr. Andy Roark Swag: drandyroark.com/shop

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Guest Bio:

Dr. Roasa is a 2008 graduate of Texas A&M who has practiced in small

animal, mixed animal and emergency settings and has bought, operated and sold over a dozen veterinary practices. He has completed a law degree from the

University of Nebraska, is the past president of the American Veterinary Medical

Law Association. Dr. Roasa is a consultant for VIN and is a founder of Drip Learning Technologies, a veterinary continuing education provider. He also lectures in 13 veterinary colleges on the legal aspects of employment contracts, medica record keeping, veterinary malpractice and veterinary business as part of the curriculum. He serves as a national co-advisor to the Veterinary Business

Management Association and regularly lectures to regional VBMA chapters and to the national association on the topics of growth, business metrics, and technology implementation. Dr. Roasa also owns Santa Rosa Ranch, home to the largest registered Brangus cow herd in the United States.