- VEG
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
You may know VEG ER for Pets as the place where the hospitals are open 24/7 across the U.S. You may have heard of VEG’s customer-focused level of care, where pet parents can stay by their pet’s side throughout treatment. But did you know, when you visit VEG with your pet, you’ll witness medically excellent emergency care up close, every single time?
The team at VEG is intensely trained in emergency medicine and our “VEGgies” are ready around the clock to handle any case that comes through the door. And there have been some wild ones:
The cat covered in spray foam? Yes, VEG saved the day… and the cat.
The dog that was impaled by a tree branch and lived to bark the tale? VEG helped again! Think of it as all the drama and heart of shows like “The Pitt” or “Grey’s Anatomy,” but for pets.
VEG's COMMITMENT TO VETERINARY MEDICAL QUALITY
Simply put, the emergency experience was broken. VEG was founded on the belief that it needed major improvements. Founder and CEO Dr. David Bessler, along with VEG Co-Founder and President David Glattstein, built a company that gave patients — and their humans — a better ER experience. You can watch their story and read more about that here.
As amazing as the VEG experience is, without the backing of medical quality and training, it would have been much like the parrot that came in with a broken wing, it simply couldn’t have taken flight. (Side note: we did fix that wing and the parrot did fly!)
In this blog, we speak with VEG’s Chief Quality Officer Dr. Meredith Daly, as well as Senior Director of Medical Quality Dr. Christine Culler, and Director of Medical Quality Dr. Sonya Hansen. This dedicated team discusses the merits of training, education, and hands-on experience that shape medical excellence across all VEG ER for Pets emergency hospitals.
HOW VEG VETS BRING MEDICAL EXCELLENCE TO THEIR PATIENTS
As VEG expands its footprint across the U.S., maintaining and growing clinical quality is imperative. VEG has one of the largest—if not the largest—quality teams in veterinary medicine. One major step forward was appointing veterinary medicine’s first Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Meredith Daly.
With 20+ years of experience in medical excellence, Dr. Daly exemplifies leadership, both within her team and throughout VEG. She serves as a mentor and trusted resource, with an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence.
Dr. Daly understands that the best care involves more than just treating a patient's wounds. Because just as with human medicine, better care happens when doctors look at the full picture, not just the symptoms.
“It’s one thing to treat an infection with antibiotics,” says Dr. Daly, “but another to take a step back, try to understand WHY the pet has the infection, and to make a treatment plan WITH the pet parent which addresses the entire situation from start to finish. This is the thoroughness and compassion that pet parents can expect at VEG.”
SETTING A HIGH STANDARD FOR EMERGENCY VET CARE
We call it the VEG Way—a higher standard of vet care that starts the moment a pet and their parents come in. There is no waiting in a lobby; pet parents walk through the door, directly into VEG’s ER.
A point person announces the arrival of a new patient. Frontline doctors and veterinary nurses respond with, “I’ve got it!” and quickly move to perform triage. And that’s only the beginning.
THE 6 PRINCIPALS OF STEEEP WORK FOR PETS, TOO
To achieve medical excellence in vet med, VEG applies the STEEEP method to care.
“We place a focus on the six principles of STEEEP: Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable and Patient-centered,” explains Dr. Culler.
Originally developed for human healthcare by the Institute of Medicine and trademarked by Baylor Health Care System, STEEEP offers a complete and thoughtful framework. VEG has adapted these principles for pets.
“With every case,” Dr. Culler continues, “I encourage doctors to ask, what qualities are we trying to achieve? STEEEP originated for human healthcare, we use it at VEG because it works.”
INCORPORATING STEEEP INTO VETERINARY CARE
Here’s a breakdown of the STEEEP principles:
Safe: Avoiding harm to patients
Timely: Reducing wait times and delays impacting smooth delivery of care
Effective: Providing evidence-based services to those who can benefit — and refraining from offering services unlikely to help
Efficient: Reducing waste, streamlining resources and optimizing value
Equitable: Delivering care free of all forms of discrimination
Patient-Centered: Respecting individual patient needs, preferences and values
Medical excellence isn’t a one-size-fits-all. Each pet has unique needs, and their parents may have different goals — such as surgery versus quality of life. So, STEEEP provides the framework for optimal outcomes.
A CULTURE OF LEARNING THAT ELEVATES EMERGENCY VET CARE
VEG is proudly “not normal” in the best way. From unlimited emergency CE to our ER-focused training programs and open-concept hospitals, everything we do supports better care.
In high-pressure environments like the ER, VEG offers intense training so our clinical staff can handle cases with confidence — and communicate clearly with pet parents.
VEG is big on transparency. “For example,” says Dr. Daly, “if a VEG doctor sees fluid around the lungs on ultrasound, they show this to the customer in real time and explain why it could be present. It takes training and confidence to do that, but that’s how you know you’ve done right by the pet and their family.”
VEG staff receive advanced training in techniques like POCUS, endoscopy and surgery —encouraging a culture of continual learning.
“The culture of learning is such a valuable thing at VEG,” says Dr. Culler. “It’s constant growth. It’s not that you’re not good today, it’s that you can grow and learn to be even better.”
VEG even offers emergency vet training for exotics — from birds to snakes to chinchillas. “Customers love that we can call in an exotics expert instantly,” says Dr. Culler. “It allows our doctors to say, ‘I know someone who knows more,’ and deliver the best possible care.”
QUALITY BEYOND THE EMERGENCY EXAM AT VEG
Medical excellence extends beyond the care we deliver to VEG patients. VEG optimizes hospital operations flow with enhanced systems for check-in, billing, and record-sharing with primary care vets. Combined with clinical expertise and customer-focused care, VEG is unlike any other vet hospital.
Dr. Hansen sums up VEG’s medical excellence: “Customers experience medical quality differently at VEG. It’s not just a conversation—they're a part of it. They don’t just hear it, they see it.”
A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR PETS, PET PARENTS, AND VET MED EMPLOYEES
Pet parents know that experiencing VEG makes all the difference. That's why as VEG expands throughout the U.S., there's growing excitement. Advertising efforts and word-of-mouth help get the message across, that medically excellent emergency vet care is available at VEG 24 hours a day.
If you're looking for a position in veterinary medicine and think emergency might be your passion, check out VEG's career page. Chances are, there's a VEG opening up near you or where you want to be!
