During the 1980’s and 1990’s the veterinary profession began experiencing a declining economic state. To discover the root causes of this disturbing trend, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges joined forces on a collaborative effort. Several studies were done which identified the major issues that were causing this downward economic spiral.

Identifying the causes of the problem was not enough. The AVMA, AAHA and AAVMC took a giant step forward and established the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues, a non-profit corporation.

The NCVEI was charged with improving the economic base of the veterinary profession, ensuring that the delivery of veterinary care and service meets the needs of society. It was clear that providing quality patient care was dependent on having a sound economic base and the NCVEI was created to address this concern effectively and immediately.

The work of the NCVEI has been conducted on two levels:

• A national benchmarking program was developed to give veterinarians an opportunity to evaluate their performance level and receive information on how to make improvements in their business practices.
• The NCVEI works with the veterinary colleges to ensure that future veterinarians have the necessary skills, knowledge, aptitudes and attitudes to meet the needs of clients and their animals.