The Business of Practice: Shifting to a Haul-in Emergency Model 

In this episode, Ginger Reagan, DVM, talked about her experience shifting to haul-in emergency services. As a member of the AAEP Commission on Equine Veterinary Sustainability’s Emergency Subcommittee (now sunsetted) and a previous member of the AAEP Healthy Practice Committee, Reagan has regularly shared her input on how to improve the equine veterinary industry. 

Reagan said her practice’s high emergency load was causing the doctors to become burned out and exhausted. So, they began encouraging clients to haul their horses into the clinic. This change increased efficiency and allowed them to easily call in reinforcements if multiple emergencies happened at once. “We have assistants with us on all of our emergencies for safety reasons more than anything,” said Reagan. Her practice has a veterinarian and an assistant on-call every night. 

When asked whether clients pushed back on trailering in for emergency service, Reagan said, “I thought the clients were really going to balk at it, and a few did, but once they did it once or twice, they recognized the value.” Having well-lit, temperature-controlled surroundings and all the equipment they might require makes providing emergency care much easier at the clinic than in the field. 

Reagan gave some advice for veterinarians considering shifting to a haul-in emergency model. “Set expectations ahead of time with the client, so they can arrange a shipper if they don’t own a trailer. Do it slowly and gradually,” she said.  

As a final piece of advice, Reagan reminded veterinarians, “We’re here to help the horse, but we can’t spend every night running all over helping emergencies and still work all day the following day.” 

About Dr. Ginger Reagan 

Ginger Reagan, DVM, is originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, and graduated from NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. After graduation she worked at Palmetto Equine Clinic in Camden, South Carolina, and did relief work at Cross Creek Equine in Simpsonville, Kentucky, gaining significant experience in lameness and performance horse medicine. She opened her own practice, Reagan Equine, in 2005, which has since grown to a three-doctor practice. Reagan has a special interest in sports medicine and acupuncture.  

Related Reading

• The Business of Practice: Applications for Telemedicine in Equine Practice
• The Business of Practice: Emergency-Only Practice Model
• The Business of Practice: Relief Veterinarians

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