Global Leaders in Veterinary Medicine and Brilliant Minds Behind Technological Breakthroughs Gather at Animal Health Corridor for Eight Annual Veterinary Innovation Summit

The 2024 Veterinary Innovation Summit (VIS), presented by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC), will focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications within veterinary medicine, the evolution of AI, its impact on the advancement of animal health care and how to prepare for adaptation and responsible use of AI. The summit, which takes place Aug. 21-23 in Kansas City, Mo., creates a venue for some of the most progressive veterinary thinkers to gather, network and deliver strategies to move the veterinary profession into a more future-focused setting, which is crucial to enhancing patient care within animal medicine.

AI is helping veterinary professionals work more efficiently, improve productivity, reduce administrative tasks and assist with diagnoses and treatments. According to recent statistics, 39.2 percent of industry experts surveyed use AI tools in their work and 65.8 percent stated using them weekly or daily, suggesting that veterinarians are quick to adopt new technology.

“The Veterinary Innovation Summit is in a league of its own, offering attendees the chance to learn about major trends that are impacting the industry today and will impact the industry 10 years from now,” said Jennifer Welser, VIC Board Chair. “We all need to be thinking about the future and driving positive change across the whole industry to better serve and meet the needs of all pet owners. From the advancements we can implement today to the hard-to-imagine future, there is something for everyone at VIS.”

Speakers and session highlights include:

• Jonathan Lustgarten, MS, PhD, VDM, CSPO, Senior Biomedical Informatics Specialist at Mars Veterinary Health; Joe Mazzarella, Chief Technology Officer at Thrive Pet Healthcare; and Patrick Welch, founder and CEO at VetBloom. Their presentation will delve into what professionals should be doing today to prepare for the AI technology of tomorrow and how veterinary medicine can best enable the integration of AI.
• Eric Fish, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Independent Pathologist at EJF Veterinary Consulting, LLC; Petra Kos, Founder and CEO of VetMaite; and Adam Little, former CMO at GoFetch.ca. They will look at the veterinary practice of 2034 and how AI will transform it.
• Indu Subaiya, Co-Founder and President of Catalyst@health 2.0, industry leader in digital health strategic partnering, keynote speaker. In her presentation, Dr. Subaiya will share visionary insights into reshaping healthcare through innovation and community-building, the role of value-based care and the most interesting technologies on the horizon.
• Dave Zaboski, Co-Founder and CCO of Laetro.com., keynote speaker. The former Disney Animator will share insights, real world principles and practices from Disney and beyond on how to enhance creativity, collaborate more powerfully and turn a thought into something tangible, with the same ease and grace as the master creators and storytellers from the past.
• Cassie Kresny from Mars. Her presentation, “The Connected Pet: Beyond Accelerometers, Using the Next Generation Sensor Technology and Computer Vision to Quantify Pet Behavior and Connect the Pet in the Home to the Care Team” will focus on improving animal outcomes with data.
• Susannah Fox, author of “Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-led Revolution in Medical Care,” keynote speaker. In addition to the patient-led revolution in health care, her presentation will also highlight insights about navigating health and technology.
• Colonel (Ret.) Pilar McDermott, Founder and President of Gandia Leadership Group, LLC, faculty at Thayer Leadership, keynote speaker. Colonel McDermott will discuss how to lead with grit and character.

“The NAVC Veterinary Innovation Council was created to bring together the industry’s best futuristic, strategic thinkers and innovators to develop and champion solutions that were inconceivable just a few years ago,” said NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill. “What differentiates VIS from other conferences is that everyone gathered is part of the industry and has a deep understanding of what’s important to supporting the vision of a positive future in veterinary medicine. This year’s summit promises to set a new path of even greater collaborations we will leverage to further advance healthcare for animals worldwide.”

The summit also will showcase new and innovative start-up companies in the veterinary profession culminating with a live Pitch Competition, featuring emerging and potentially disruptive technologies, with a shark-tank-style twist. The friendly contest allows new companies to introduce their products, services and solutions to veterinary professionals and practice decision-makers in the industry. The finalists selected to pitch at this year’s event include Innovative Pet Labs, Radimal and Incipet.