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services to the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, a diverse area of about 2.5 million people. She began her career in her native Mississippi, traveling in a Chevy Suburban, visiting clients across the area. These days, Mullen travels in a
custom- built, 24-foot La Boit hospital vehicle throughout the San Fernando Val- ley. Her mobile clinic is outfitted to pro- vide diagnostics and treatment, including wellness and dental care, a pharmacy and full surgical capabilities. With a background as an Air Force
nurse and inspired by James Herriott’s books, she purchased the mobile clinic, advertised in the Yellow Pages and online, and has never looked back. “Many of my classmates in vet school
wanted to open clinics,” she says, “but I always wanted to do house calls. When I saw this mobile hospital the first time, I knew it was made for me.” In addition, the Los Angeles area is the
perfect place for a mobile hospital. Busy clients need the service and appreciate having a whole hospital in their driveway. Mullen sees no more than five clients in a day, enabling her to provide personal ser- vice in the tradition of one of her favorite books, All Creatures Great and Small. For Mullen, the benefits of a mobile
clinic are clear: “I enjoy the ability to set your own hours, be your own boss, see the animal in its own environment and be more involved with the client,” she says. On the downside, reduced income potential is an ever-present factor.
Ready, set, go Think a mobile practice might be for
you? We asked mobile veterinarians how they would advise anyone considering a mobile practice. Read on for their com- ments, which are as wide-ranging as their personalities: • “Consult with Dodgen and La Boit; they are the two main companies that market the mobile hospitals. They are both a wealth of basic information and can provide many references.”
Trends magazine, November 2012
• “Speak with another veterinarian who has a mobile unit.”
• “Visit with a veterinarian who is currently involved in a mobile practice, preferably in the same state, because there are regulations and requirements that apply and differ depending on the area.”
• “Remember, it is very different from what it seems from the outside... It’s better!”
• “Just do it! Don’t buy a book or call someone and ask a lot of irrelevant questions—just do it.”
• “Starting a mobile veterinary practice can be done in many different fashions depending on how much investment you want to make.”
• Questions to ask include: 3 Is there a need? 3 Can you see enough clients to make it worthwhile?
3 What services are you going to offer?
3 What kinds of regulations will you encounter?
All these questions are the hard part.
Setting up a mobile practice can be rela- tively easy without a lot of initial outlay. For motivation, one can always think
about all the frustration that all the other people in the practice cause you and remember that there are a lot of people who enjoy having the veterinarian come to them. n
Kelly Smith is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colo.
“I enjoy the ability to set your own hours, be your own boss, see the animal in its own environment and be more
involved with the client.” —Andrea Mullen, DVM
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