NAVTA to work closer with AVMA

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The AVMA Board of Directors authorized the Association to pursue an agreement to provide management services to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America “given they have goals that complement each other and wish to enhance their mutually beneficial relationship to promote the entire veterinary health care team,” according to the recommendation background.

The AVMA would provide NAVTA with advice and assistance from its leadership. In addition, the AVMA would provide administrative services to NAVTA on a part-time basis. In return, the technician association would assist the AVMA in communicating with the roughly 9,000 veterinary technician members of NAVTA about various products, services, and initiatives. The NAVTA board of directors would retain ultimate control over NAVTA’s affairs.

The agreement after being drafted will be pending each board’s approval.

Julie Legred, executive director of NAVTA, said, “I think there is so much that NAVTA and AVMA can do, working collaboratively. It sets an example for best practices working as a team and will also show how much we can achieve together. It is very exciting to think about all of the possibilities.”

NAVTA has been self-managed since November 2015 after breaking ties with the North American Veterinary Community. Legred said the association has seen growth in membership, expanded its member benefits, worked to communicate better, and provided a platform for its members to better connect and interact with each other, as well as increased its partners and sponsors.

“And, of course, we are making great strides in our veterinary nurse initiative as well,” she added. NAVTA began the initiative last year that would potentially rename veterinary technicians as veterinary nurses and try to establish a national standard for credentialing.

Dr. Janet Donlin, AVMA CEO, said she and the AVMA leadership team are thrilled to enter into a closer relationship with NAVTA. “AVMA is committed to supporting the entire veterinary team, and assisting NAVTA with management services is a real win-win for our organizations.”