#United States #Nashville #CareVet #Clinical Outcomes #Veterinary Innovations

Celebrating Veterinary Excellence: CareVet's Inaugural Clinical Outcomes Showcase

On August 17, 2026, the vibrant city of Nashville hosted the first-ever Clinical Outcomes Showcase by CareVet. This event recognized groundbreaking ideas in veterinary medicine, awarding innovations that promise to enhance patient care across various categories. The event gathered a diverse audience including veterinary students, practitioners, and industry representatives to spotlight solutions that pave the way for a better future in veterinary healthcare.

The winners were chosen based on their creative approaches and potential impacts. The 2026 Rising Star Award was presented to Kristen Slagle from Oklahoma State University. Slagle developed an innovative feline hideaway box that prioritizes patient comfort while ensuring visibility for veterinary teams. Traditionally, cats in hospitals often experience heightened stress due to unfamiliar environments. Slagle's solution—a clear box lined with a privacy film—enables cats to feel secure while allowing vets to monitor their health effectively. This idea not only enhances comfort but aligns with Fear Free practices, ultimately promoting a less stressful hospital experience.

The Veterinary Technician and Team Member Award was awarded to Sarah Wilmes of Binder Animal Hospital. Recognizing a common problem in many veterinary practices, Wilmes and her team devised prepaid sample-collection kits. These kits simplify the testing process for pets by enabling pet owners to collect urine or stool samples at home following their appointments. In 2025 alone, more than 1,000 samples were returned for analysis, significantly improving diagnostic follow-ups and leading to early disease detection. Wilmes' innovation shows that even simple changes can profoundly affect clinical outcomes.

The Veterinarian Award went to Dr. Samantha Gruenwald from Frankenmuth-Birch Run Veterinary Hospital for her proactive approach to exotic-animal medicine. Dr. Gruenwald has integrated preventive care into every consultation involving exotic pets, which are often brought in only when they are unwell. Her method includes species-specific assessments and nutrition counseling, allowing for earlier disease detection and enhanced education for pet owners. This not only improves health outcomes for exotic animals but also encourages better practices in pet stores by promoting nutritional awareness.

Finally, the Veterinary Corporation and Group Award was earned by Pointer Health for its advanced prognostic medicine platform. This innovative technology evaluates a patient’s medical history to produce personalized risk assessments, identifying potential health issues well before they manifest clinically. This information equips veterinarians and pet owners to make informed decisions regarding preventive care and monitoring.

Dr. Kent Thornberry, President and Co-Founder of CareVet, emphasized the excitement surrounding these innovations. He remarked, "These ideas, though diverse, all reflect the same fundamental inquiry: 'How can we improve our services for the next patient?' Whether through straightforward solutions or leveraging new technology, these initiatives are leading veterinary care toward a more proactive future."

The showcase successfully demonstrated that innovation in veterinary medicine can emerge from various sources, each contributing to improved patient outcomes. As Thornberry noted, the goal was not to define a singular type of innovation but to foster an environment conducive to sharing ideas and challenging the norms of veterinary practice. This inaugural event promises to be the first of many, setting a precedent for ongoing collaboration and advancement in veterinary care.

About CareVet
CareVet is committed to elevating veterinary medicine standards through a network of hospitals that not only focus on exceptional pet care but also support the professionals behind the scenes. By promoting developments that enhance clinical outcomes and fostering collaborative growth, CareVet aims to drive forward the veterinary field as a whole.