CHALLENGES AND FACILITATORS TO MANAGING VETERINARY HOSPITALS

Veterinary hospitals within the UAE are identified to be continuously strengthening relevancies towards the public health, community wellbeing and animal welfare. However, the overall management of these facilities is identified in presenting the distinct challenges that are identified as different from the mainstream healthcare settings. This working paper explores the key operations and strategic challenges faced by the veterinary hospital leaders within the UAE, along with the emerging facilitators that would help in developing resilient practice environments. The research is developed based on the synthesis of the peer-reviewed literature, followed by the observation insights considered in the veterinary practices across the UAE. The four major challenges identified are: staff recruitment and retention, client communication and trust issues, followed by inconsistent and burdensome regulatory requirements and lastly, the higher cost and complexity of technology adoption. In contrast, the paper has also highlighted the key facilitators, therefore supporting the overall sector within the UAE. Some of them include the growth of the local veterinary education program, the adoption of digital technologies, followed by the increased public awareness of animal welfare and the local veterinary education programs. Thus, they indicate the positive trajectory towards the consideration of enhanced veterinary healthcare services. The analysis identified the relevance of proactive managerial strategies, inclusive of client education, investments in staff development, cost-effective digital tools and regulatory engagement. The findings have significant managerial implication thus, recommending that the veterinary hospital administrators should prioritise on local based tailored HR initiatives thus, engaging the ongoing regulatory compliance and therefore, integrating the digital workforce. This paper concludes with reflections on limitations and offers suggestions for future research in UAE veterinary management.