Hello All,
I'm in Canada at the AAHA/OVMA conference, the first of it's kind, U.S. and Canadian veterinary organizations hosting together. A new AAHA Practice of the Year was crowned this morning. I'm inspired by the kind words of the 1st & 2nd place winners who told me when I went up to individually congratulate them, that we are the hospital that inspired them each to apply and that they try to emulate whether it be our mission, our vision, our facility, our social media outreach, or our community involvement. Congrats to all the finalists. Every hospital is a winner who follows the standards and guidelines of AAHA, puts the best interest of pets first, and treats staff as their second family. Canada is very welcoming and the OVMA (Ontario Veterinary Medical Association) treated us Americans like 2nd family as well. Toronto is a beautiful city, but being here away from my team and witnessing the joy on the faces of those new hospital of the year winners, reminds me how much I miss our hospital back home, and how much this award has meant to us and will always mean to us.
Dr. Takashima, AAHA's outgoing president, who visited Countryside in January of this year and hosted an AAHA member's forum in our conference room, during his speech this morning during the AAHA Accredited Practice breakfast where the new AAHA Practice of the Year was announced, when talking about friends he has made in his journey as AAHA president this year, put a picture of Brian and I with him and Zeke our bronze Great Dane mascot, on the huge powerpoint screen for all to see and recognized us by first name. I was deeply and incredibly touched. I must say it was hard to hold back a few happy tears but I was as discreet as I could be and wiped them away without drawing too much attention. That one of many gestures by Dr. T. and so many of the AAHA staff put many things for me in perspective.
AAHA is an amazing organization made up of caring people who not only care about pets and ensure that Accredited hospitals follow strict guidelines and standards to keep pets healthy and safe, but they care about people. I wish you could all be here to witness their exceptional people skills and genuine fondness for others that share their same passion.
We will always be the inaugural hospital of the year, and I've observed while here that this is something special, something never to forget. We have a duty to continue to hold ourselves to the highest of all standards, as we have always done, which was an integral part of being chosen for the award in 2010. And I know we are up to the challenge. Under Dr. Holub's leadership we have always held ourselves to a higher standard than what was required of us by the State, or AAHA or PCSA.
It is an honor to be a hospital to emulate and during my time as practice manager and with the help of our top knotch staff, we will continue to be a hospital to emulate by our genuine caring, community outreach, dedicated leadership, exceptional customer service and veterinary medicine. And we will continue to support AAHA in getting the message out to pet owners about how AAHA accredited hospitals are an easy choice to visit with their pets. From the people to the policies and to the procedures, you can't go wrong trusting in AAHA and trusting in an AAHA practice.
I've rambled on too long now, but I hope you have missed my ramblings. I plan to ramble to you all in person when I return to the hospital early this week.
"Paws"itively Posting...
Fondly~ Gayle :)
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