Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 11 May 2018 18:22:41 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

You've missed out BAHVS

Can you add MANZCVS- Feline Medicine? many UK vets with a feline interest now do this qualification

[/quote]

Made me giggle on a tired friday. Go you

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 11 May 2018 17:49:39 GMT

[quote user="GrooveJet"]

Fantastic idea!!!

Can't wait.

[/quote]

Thanks Miriam Lodewyks and me neither! It has been a really fiendishly difficult and complex bit of programming that has taken far more time than any of us expected, but I think we are there now. Hoping to deploy the fixes for the points raised above tonight. Then we're off to the races.

Meantime:

[quote user="emma o'connor"]brilliant idea but can you add the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group please (BVDSG) [/quote]

emma o'connor your wish is my command.

[quote user="Noweia"]This is a great idea. How about Young Vet Networks too?[/quote]

Noweia - that one was already in there!

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]Can European Association of Zoo and Wildlife vets be an option too please?[/quote]

Marie Kubiak, yes, indeed it can and now is!

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]You've missed out BAHVS [/quote]

Dead body. Over. My.

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]Can you add MANZCVS- Feline Medicine? many UK vets with a feline interest now do this qualification [/quote]

Actually, that one is already there too, but perhaps you'd like a slightly different format. At the moment, you have to go to Australia drop down, then general and select MANZCVS, then go to Aus>Small animal> and select Medicine of Cats (the official title, I believe).

Two badges for the price of one. But maybe they should be merged into one?

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Kate Richardson — Fri, 11 May 2018 14:52:01 GMT

You've missed out BAHVS

Can you add MANZCVS- Feline Medicine? many UK vets with a feline interest now do this qualification

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 11 May 2018 12:12:51 GMT

Can European Association of Zoo and Wildlife vets be an option too please?

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Noweia — Fri, 11 May 2018 11:20:24 GMT

This is a great idea. How about Young Vet Networks too?

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

emma o'connor — Fri, 11 May 2018 09:43:24 GMT

brilliant idea but can you add the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group please (BVDSG)

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Miriam Lodewyks — Fri, 11 May 2018 09:05:12 GMT

Fantastic idea!!!

Can't wait.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 13:27:32 GMT

Just configuring profiles so you can specify membership of various veterinary associations (and connect with other members of the same associations or groups in your area).

This is my list - if you are a member of a group or association and think it should be on the list, please shout now!

By area of interest:

Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work
Assoc of Government Veterinarians
Assoc of Veterinarians in Industry
Assoc of Veterinary Students
British Bee Veterinary Assoc
British Cattle Veterinary Assoc
British Equine Veterinary Assoc
British Veterinary Behaviour Assoc
British Veterinary Camelid Assoc
British Veterinary Dental Assoc
British Veterinary Hospitals Assoc
British Veterinary Orthopaedic Assoc
British Veterinary Poultry Assoc
British Veterinary Zoological Society
Fish Veterinary Society
Goat Veterinary Society
Laboratory Animals Veterinary Association
Pig Veterinary Society
Royal Army Veterinary Corps
Small Animal Medicine Society
Sheep Veterinary Society
Society for the Study of Animal Breeding
Society of Greyhound Veterinarians
Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Deer Society
Veterinary Invertebrate Society
Veterinary Practice Management Association
Veterinary Public Health Association

By region:

Ayrshire Veterinary Association
BSAVA East Anglia Region
BSAVA East Midlands Region
BSAVA Metropolitan Region
BSAVA North East Region
BSAVA Northern Ireland
BSAVA North West Region
BSAVA Scottish Region
BSAVA Southern Region
BSAVA South East Region
BSAVA South West Region
BSAVA Wales Region
BSAVA West Midlands Region
Central Veterinary Society
Cornwall Veterinary Association
Cotswold Veterinary Association
Dumfries and Galloway Division
East Midlands Veterinary Association
Eastern Counties Veterinary Society
Essex Veterinary Society
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Veterinary Society
Lakeland Veterinary Association
Lincolnshire and District Veterinary Association
North of England Veterinary Association
North of Ireland Veterinary Association
North of Scotland Division
North Wales Division
Royal Counties Veterinary Association
Shropshire Veterinary Association
South Eastern Veterinary Association
Southern Counties Veterinary Society
Sussex Veterinary Society
Warwickshire Veterinary Association
Western Counties Veterinary Association
Yorkshire Veterinary Society

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 12:58:24 GMT

[quote user="George Cooper"]Er - "amitions"?? Just saying - 'typo' - before the real pedant-in-Wales locks onto it.[/quote]

Laughed out loud - that's just the draft done by the techies, and techies are not known for their spelling!

... surprised you missed the other one, that you must 'fist share your own location'!

[quote user="Sarah Keir"]

I don't think 15 miles is a large enough area for large portions of the country. When I based in Hertfordshire/Bucks then yes, it would show a lot but I have moved to Dorset and 15 miles is nothing - it is more than that to the nearest town of any size! Things are spread out down here! I am sure it is the same for George in Wales. And what about if I want to move to another part of the country and see who would be in that area?

Google maps allow zooming in and out and surely you are using Google maps so perhaps we can use this feature.

[/quote]

HI Sarah,

That was just my first stab at an arbitrary figure. Was discussing that just now with my new co-conspirator, and she thought probably 40 miles.

It does need to be restricted, though: the smaller the radius, the more tightly we control who can actually see the information. I think probably 40 miles is OK.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

George Cooper — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 12:28:39 GMT

Er - "amitions"?? Just saying - 'typo' - before the real pedant-in-Wales locks onto it.

Tis to be found in the Black Box......

And SO pleased that cycling will be invisible to all.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Sarah Keir — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 11:26:21 GMT

Google maps allow zooming in and out and surely you are using Google maps so perhaps we can use this feature.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:36:06 GMT

We are now into the final stages of creating VetSurgeon Connect, and now moving into the configuration stage.

In short, you each get a fixed map showing an area around your location. Was thinking 15 mile radius.

On that map are displayed flags showing the business locations of colleagues with whom you share common interests declared in your profile.

First, broad principles about which types of members can see which types of members on their map.

My view is that at this new feature is for veterinary surgeons, students and academics (V,S&A). In other words if you are in one of those categories and you share your location, it will only be displayed on maps in front of veterinary surgeons, students and academics.

Practice managers, veterinary directors and industry and commerce will only be able to see others in the SAME membership category, or who are 'colleagues' on vetsurgeon.

Veterinary nurses will not be able to see anything (they have their own system on vetnurse).

In addition, of course, people will only be able to see colleagues within a radius of their own location (so if you enable the function, only a limited number of people can see your business location).

In summary, locations displayed only to a small number of people

The second thing I need to configure is what common interests etc. we use to connect you. I propose:

General practitioners will see referral practitioners by discipline
Referral practitioners will see general practitioners (and poss other referral practitioners by discipline, but unsure about this one)
V,S&A will see other VS&A's with common leisure interests (defined in profile, such as cycling)
V,S&A will see other VS&A's with common clinical interests (defined in profile; useful for collaborating on CPD for example)
V,S&A will see other VS&A's with common goals (to be configured, but eg working towards same advanced qual, but could be other things like practice ownership)
V,S&A will see other VS&A's with common memberships of other (smaller) associations, groups etc.
V,S&A will see other VS&A's who went to the same university

I think that's it. I did wonder whether it would be useful to show other colleagues with the same qualification (not just MRCVS, obviously). But I think perhaps it is not that interesting to know someone up the road also has a certAVP, for example.

To see others in your area, you will need to enable the display of your own (business) location, by pressing the button or changing your account settings. If you then want to switch off your location display, you will then need to contact us (this is to prevent people switching it on, taking a peek, then switching it off again, because we need a critical mass to make this useful).

And in this facebook-data-scandal era, I want to be very clear that NONE of the above data (interests, goals etc etc) will EVER be used for any other purpose than to connect you with each other. Over my dead body would we try and sell you a bicycle because you said you liked cycling, or a piece of rabbit anaesthesia equipment because you specified rabbits as a clinical interest.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Miriam Lodewyks — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 12:58:27 GMT

Great idea.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:00:22 GMT

[quote user="George Cooper"]would tentatively suggest that it somehow includes some further info about those who accept referrals.[/quote]

No need to be tentative George :)

The system is much more person-to-person than a 'referral directory', so the main thing it will do is link to the profile of the referral practitioner, and yes, I will be encouraging them to complete their profiles as completely as possible. But you raise a really good point, and I will also encourage them to display example costs, and I'll give more thought to how we could incorporate some of the other stuff you mention in the future ...

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

George Cooper — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 10:58:52 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="David Catlow"]Particularly useful where people may feel isolated and do not have a large peer group around them.[/quote]

Yup - that's always at the front of my mind.

Does anyone else think there's a value in levelling the playing field wrt to referral practitioners?

In other words, as the multidisciplinary centres continue to grow, and have more resources to get their name out there (even five years ago, very few had PR agencies sending me their stories: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/p/referral-vet-practice-news.aspx), so the smaller practices / individuals offering a referral service are perhaps getting lost, so having a map with all referral practitioners on there, big and small, will help the marketplace.

[/quote]

I think this "referral directory" is a good idea, and would tentatively suggest that it somehow includes some further info about those who accept referrals.

For example - perhaps some ballpark costs of common procedures? Perhaps some feedback that the referring practice has had from clients who have been? In other words, some sort of subjective take on the service offered, the cost of the procedure, the "friendliness" or otherwise of the Vis and Client Care people. This will be of more value to some than others, I'm sure, but if, for example you the referrer pride yourself on being a top notch client relations type you'd prefer that the referral establishment offers that same warm ambience.

Being the the wilds of Wales any practice we refer to is going to be dozens of miles driving away in any direction and recent experience in one discipline highlighted why your suggestion is useful. Our "usual" man for certain procedures had a fee, say, of £2500, and did have a couple of clinics issues (which CAN happen), and was a tad stand-offish. Somehow an alternative was found(by a client, actually,) a little further away and his fee was a grand less. Not only that they were nicely smiley, and understood that clients have cash restraints and was able to offer solutions to that while still doing some great clinical work. And then there's the huge referral joint where clinical excellence is let down by really poor connectivity - something which, in my experience, is kinda common and slipshod in the vast empires that are evolving.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 08:52:16 GMT

[quote user="David Catlow"]Particularly useful where people may feel isolated and do not have a large peer group around them.[/quote]

Yup - that's always at the front of my mind.

Does anyone else think there's a value in levelling the playing field wrt to referral practitioners?

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

David Catlow — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:25:56 GMT

I think anything that helps people link up in a shared professional community is a good thing. No harm at all in providing such a platform. It‘s a good idea in my view.

Particularly useful where people may feel isolated and do not have a large peer group around them.

There are significant benefits and learnings to be enjoyed by having wider discussions with colleagues and is one of the most valuable things about getting involved with regional and national professional association activities as well as online communities. A wider perspective and insight of others adds huge value in my view

There is a risk of duplication in some areas perhaps, but user numbers will ultimately be the arbiter.

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:51:20 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I'm not sure how much use it will be personally, having been round the block several times and got a lot of T shirts[/quote]

Yes, sure, it's of less use for people who've been around as many blocks as you! And I did have newer members of the profession more in mind when I was developing this idea (which reminds me, someone suggested that we could connect students with practitioners who work at practices which provide EMS).

Still, I'd hope it could even be of occasional value to you (in the sense that you already know that x is in the area, but you didn't happen to know that they shared your interest for extreme knitting, or were also working towards some additional qualification, or something).

RE: Coming soon to VetSurgeon.org

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:20:20 GMT

All sounds good to me. I'm not sure how much use it will be personally, having been round the block several times and got a lot of T shirts, I have enough knowledge of these things as I think I need but I'm sure it will be useful for less experienced members.