Dr. Brad Waffa | Truss Vet
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In This Episode
In this episode of the Veterinary Innovation Podcast, Shawn Wilkie and Dr. Ivan Zak talk with Dr. Brad Waffa, Founder and Chief Veterinary Officer of Truss Vet, about building urgent care as a true middle ground between general practice and emergency medicine.
Brad explains why Truss Vet deliberately limits its scope rather than trying to become everything to everyone, and how that approach has helped the company build relationships with local GPs. He also shares the personal experience with burnout that shaped the business and the thinking behind a schedule of three 12-hour shifts per week for its veterinarians.
The conversation also looks at a harder question: what happens to the urgent care model when post-COVID demand changes? Brad discusses the role of referrals, word of mouth, client experience, and new services such as outpatient ultrasound as Truss Vet continues to adapt.
They also explore what veterinary medicine can borrow from human healthcare and even Disney when it comes to designing an experience people remember, and why Brad believes intermediate care will become an increasingly important part of the veterinary healthcare system.
Learn more about Truss Vet – Veterinary Urgent Care.
Dr. Brad Waffa recommends “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company” by Robert Iger. He also mentions currently re-reading “The Hard Thing about Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers“ by Ben Horowitz.
Topics Discussed:
- Where urgent care fits between general practice and emergency medicine
- Building more sustainable schedules for veterinary teams
- Adapting urgent care to changing market conditions
- Designing a better client experience