Updates: Info Only

Personnel Updates

• Shelter Medicine: Interviewing Dr. Kristi Russell, March 14^th
• Emergency and Critical Care: Interviewing Dr. Katie Gane on March 24/25 and Dr. Gabriela Rivas on March 27/28; Dr. Gelendi and Dr. Munguia have already interviewed
• Diagnostic Imaging: Interviewing Dr. Marina Ivancic April 3 and 4.
• Orthopedic Surgery: Interviewing Dr. Tisha Harper April 7/8;
• Dr. Dongaonkar will reschedule later due to personal reasons 
• Food Animal: Search was reopened – previous candidate declined our offer
• Radiation Oncology/Surgical Oncology – These 3 searches currently don’t have any applications.
• SA Soft Tissue – first application received
• VTH New Hires
  • Alejandra Morales (ECC) 2/17
  • Maya Cain VMSC Aide
  • Robert Montenegro (ECC) Offer letter sent. Should start 3/3
• Currently Interviewing
  • ECC VTG
  • LA Overnights
  • IMC VTG
  • IMC and ECC Vet Asst
  • ER Service Aide
  • STS CVT
• Contract negotiations are getting closer, still working on economic proposals.

Facilities

• LAC locker room project – Client service restrooms are scheduled to be completed by 3/21. They are planning to begin the locker rooms on 3/24. Locker rooms will be completed by June/July.

• Radiology – Rounds room for Radiology has been completed along with Equine tech space. We are currently working on the Ultrasound room(G-4) and the Equine resident space. We will have them completed by the time the client service restrooms are completed so that they can begin demo for locker rooms.
• Ward 1-2 doors have been installed. Must get the operators wired. Only one door remaining in ward 3 (college funded, not VTH).
• Equine unloading zone is completed minus the gates. The gates are done, and we will have to pick them up and get them installed.
• Oncology addition – they have a ceiling installed in bird room and are awaiting light fixtures. They are currently welding pipes in the food storage room and will be moving to medical records next week. Once done welding they will pressure test, insulate and get out of those areas so that we can put things back.
  • Weather delays and product delays – current completion date has been moved to January 28^th, 2026 with punch list completion by Feb 28^th 2026
• Cockatiels Room – to be completed 2/28, punch list 3/3. Birds likely to be moved back the week of 3/10.
• The VTH will have proximity cards installed this year. It is the last of the buildings to be converted.
• Equine Recovery stalls – still waiting on drawing from the shop for doors.  Brandon is unsure why such a delay but he is checking into it.
• VMSC office space (VMSC 5) – drawing received, currently getting pricing, then plan to move forward.  Will create private office space for faculty.
• Cube – engineering phase and we are awaiting drawings for the remodel and floor infill.
• Equine CT – looking to identify possible spaces for CT.  Then will price remodel needed for each space.

Programs

Other:

Zoo Ambo is getting a new Explorer! Trading in two older VTH trucks.

Dentistry (Update only)

Not replacing clinical service – didactic teaching will be completed by Veterinary Dental Center (in Aurora, IL) and others.

Dean Constable said replacing dentistry is not a priority over the next 3 years

Space Discussion

Space discussion – oncology move, dentistry closure - should we put together a working group?

• Brandon and his team will be doing some square footage layout prep so we can compare spaces

Decision: Will investigate putting together a working group or utilize the Clinical Coordinators and/or discuss at future VTH Board meetings 

QIC

Fall Conference - Hospital Tours

Previously did tours at 4:30 Friday evening.  This year Fall Conference is Thursday and ½ day Friday.  It was mentioned that tours could be completed at 12 (noon) on Friday.  Will this be too disruptive? 

Consensus: Thursday evening would be the best time for a tour. 

Radiology Consults

Discuss current issues, feedback on suggested plan

• Radiology provides daily consults to any clinician in the hospital who has had imaging performed on a patient. These consults include wet reads on recently performed in-house imaging, review of previously reported imaging from tele radiology services, and opinions on outside imaging for patients currently in the hospital. These consults are time-consuming and can impede workflow, resulting in reduced reporting. Currently, there is no method for tracking the number of consults that occur through the radiology service.
  • An EMR-based no charge consult will allow radiology to track the number of consults performed and improve workflow.
  • As our service grows with inevitably hybrid virtual/on-site support, consult forms will allow us to direct cases to specific radiologists and improve visibility of these cases for those working remotely. With the addition of a resident in the summer, a consult form will also serve as an additional metric for assessing/understanding resident case management to improve faculty support.
  • Two questions on the consult: 1) Have you reviewed the images? 2) Do you have a specific question?

Action item: With a consult form, what is the expected turnaround time? This can cause delays in knowing whether to take a patient to CT or ultrasound. Setting up an imaging discussion group to review current holdups. Advise staff of current staff restraints and withhold reaching out for scan consults unless an absolute emergency. Dr. Billhymer has the right to tell staff not to consult due to dual schedule.

Equine CT 

Equine CT – current GE scanner is at end of life.  Over the past 18 months there have been 5 CT scans.  Equine faculty & Imaging are not comfortable recommending CT due to poor quality and unreliability. 

• Proposed to stop offering CT to equine patients completely and cancel the service contract for GE scanner.  To renew the contract, it is $52,605.  We have also discussed it with Dean Constable, and we are investigating a new equine CT.  Currently obtaining pricing from Asto & Qalibra. Identifying space for the new CT based on room dimensions needed for both machines. 

At large Faculty members

Dr. Gray – elected in February 2023, serve until Feb 2025

Dr. Strahl-Heldreth – elected July 2023, serve until December 2025 (off-cycle due to Dr. Keller resignation)

Plan to send a nomination email as previously done, but open to ideas or thoughts. 

Action item: Admin will send out a nomination email soon, with hopes of a new member to start in the next meeting.

New hire training process

The new hire process is being simplified, reducing steps for the medical records team from 12-15 to 3-5 by consolidating Canvas modules into new courses for each role. Each course has a blueprint for easy updates, and the process is more streamlined for users with required modules and tasks. SANDI training is integrated within the modules, and medical records will receive email notifications upon completion.

Natalie and Jenny are reviewing and reducing content, which will then be updated in the Canvas blueprints. Testing revealed the process takes 9-10 hours with additional training and videos. The goal is to reduce this time while maintaining needed content.

Once these updates are made, Jeff can turn off the old courses and the new can be used entirely.

Hope for the future:  get the overall on boarding process revamped, to include on boarding all who enter the VTH, including students, locums, etc.