Medical emergencies are challenging and stressful for everyone, no matter how many legs you stand on. In times like this, you know you’re in good hands when you feel as cared for and supported as the actual patient - in this case, your dog or cat in need of medical care.
That’s what it’s like for patients and clients at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists located in Loveland, just east of I-25 near Crossroads Blvd.
The 24-hour emergency services hospital provides a spectrum of first-class care specialties including internal medicine, surgery, dentistry, radiology, cardiology, and critical care. The 75-person, mostly female team includes 16 veterinary doctors (15 females and 1 male), veterinary technicians, and client care specialists.
The group sets itself apart from other vet med entities by having two highly trained emergency room criticalist doctors available 24 hours a day. A criticalist is a board-certified veterinary specialist that is highly trained to treat life-threatening conditions in emergency and critical care.
Founders Dr. Jennifer Lowry, DVM and Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology, and Dr. Tara Britt, VMD, Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgery, opened the hospital in 2014 on a shared mission to demonstrate what’s possible for high-quality patient and client care under an independently-owned model.
The two joined forces when the company they were working with as independent contractors took on new ownership. The transition summoned them to answer their common call and desire to provide high-quality medical care in a highly enjoyable environment. “What if we could do a really great job for people and their pets through a high-caliber, high-touch model?” reflects Jennifer.
The proposition resonated with Tara, and a partnership agreement between the two women soon followed.
Eight years later, this female-led, people-focused, and gold-standard level emergency services hospital is raising the bar for advanced pet care in Colorado and beyond.
As an independently owned and operated entity, the organization has more room for flexibility, personalization, and ingenuity than it may otherwise have under a corporate arrangement. That freedom is a game changer for the Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists leadership team who makes a personal touch their top priority.
The team aspires to be part of a systemic change in veterinary medicine by leading the way towards a more people-centered management approach that builds support for caregivers so they are able to provide the best care possible. They are starting a trend towards more personalized care and hope that more vet med facilities will follow.
What generates the outcome of excellence in care with a personal touch is two-fold: a consistent flow of best practices put into action, and a strong culture of balance, communication, and connection among team members, with clients, and for patients from the inside out.
The specialty hospital is unequivocally centered on excellence throughout the organization. From high-tech equipment like the 64 slice CT scanner and flat panel CT, to well-conceived sterilization processes, and extra provisions for a patient’s unique recovery needs, the entire hospital team delivers truly best practices in all areas of service.
A seal of accreditation with the American Animal Hospital Association (AHAA) is an additional testimony to the hospital’s eye for excellence. The accreditation is not required by law, but is in keeping with their mission and vision of excellence in everything they do.
Part of the excellence in service they provide is in the compassion with which they serve their patients and clients. For instance, the hospital has created a dedicated private space where patients can receive end-of-life care in a green grassy area, peacefully surrounded by trees and the breeze. That’s an excellent way to provide compassionate care.
The team is continually developing their high standards of service through collaboration with other veterinary medicine groups like the Veterinary Specialty Practice Association (VSPA), an international association that provides support and dialogue on best practices and innovation. This is yet another example of how Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists takes advantage of every opportunity to connect and collaborate so they can achieve the highest standards possible in their field.
The hospital takes a leadership role in building community by providing continuing education on advanced care options and practices to veterinary and animal professionals, clients, and the public. The hospital recently hosted a virtual event on “Understanding Animal Behavior” with guest speaker, Dr. Temple Grandin, PhD.
Equally important to the hospital’s success is the deeply entrenched culture of communication and collaboration.
Jennifer and Tara, along with Hospital Director, Courtney Hubrecht, are passionate about employee wellness and satisfaction. They recognize the separateness and individuality of their team members as people with personal lives, outside interests, and responsibilities beyond their work life.
It makes perfect sense how truly caring for team members and consciously creating a supportive and nourishing environment brings out the best in everyone. This high-touch culture directly contributes to the team’s ability to provide high-caliber care to their patients and clients.
This positive internal culture draws doctors and team members from other parts of the country, and may explain the company's high level of employee retention. “It’s about creating an environment of balance; we want people to be here for the long-term,” says Jennifer. The doctors are salaried employees which eliminates the pressure of meeting external quotas that might negatively affect the quality of care they provide.
This people-centered approach is so important to their mission and bottom line that they recently added Amanda Mahoney, a well-being focused therapist and coach, to their team as ‘Leader of Wellness and Culture’.
That’s just who these women are - innately attuned, nurturing, and highly-trained leaders who are raising the bar for excellence in care.
It's notable to mention that not very long ago, the field of veterinary medicine was for the most part dominated by men. In fact it was the mid-80s before women were admitted to the field according to their merit.
Tara and Jennifer celebrate the increased presence of women in veterinary medicine. They also attest to the positive outcomes that naturally result from working alongside other women. “A significant part of our success is our ability to communicate with each other so well; our congenial and nurturing styles allow us to be in sync and to understand what the other is thinking,” says Jennifer. Tara adds that being surrounded by compassion allows for high connection and collaboration that is key for best-practice decision-making.
All three of the leaders shared that they were uniquely supported by their fathers, and that they are married to spouses who fully support their mission and drive. It’s easy to see the theme of support that is woven through the lives of these women, and which they now weave into every part of their business.
The women share a mutual understanding about the real challenges that come with balancing work life and their desire to be attuned and present mothers to their children, and supportive partners to their spouses.
The women consistently encourage each other to keep a healthy work-life balance. They agree that the ‘best-practice’ strategy for doing so is to remain flexible, communicate and stay connected to one another in their shared labor of love.
The heart of the matter for Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists is undoubtedly the people-side of the pet care business. Their success is the result of intentional decision-making guided by the truly best-practices in the delivery of care, the leadership of their team, and in the achievement of personal work/life balance. They prioritize relationships and are passionate about establishing an environment where people receive the best care possible, feel valued and are loved. This high-touch, high-caliber model of collaboration generates improved efficiency, smoother transitions and improved outcomes for patients in need of urgent care.
Tara sums it up saying, “We want all of our patients, clients, and team members to have trust, to feel at home, and to feel connected.” What else do any of us really want? As the team at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists exemplifies on a daily basis, it all starts with prioritizing people, and nurturing an environment characterized by balance, communication, and connection.
That’s how they achieve their #1 goal of excellence in care, with love, and how they intend to raise the bar in emergency pet care going forward.
Four Season’s Veterinary Specialists
4seasonsvetspecialists.com
4120 Clydesdale Parkway
Loveland, CO 80538
970 | 800-1106
