33 Spring 2026 | Animal Health Solutions
Essential veterinary practice KPIs to track include:
Revenue per full time equivalent (FTE) veterinarian
Revenue per veterinarian hour
Active and new clients per FTE veterinarian
Patients per veterinarian per day
Veterinarian-to-staff ratio
Expenses as a percentage of revenue
Once these metrics are established, practices can evaluate where
opportunities exist to improve efficiency and manage costs.
Reviewing where dollars are coming in and going out — and how
those figures compare to industry benchmarks — can highlight
areas for improvement. Common sources for accessing KPI data
include practice management software reporting tools, practice
managers/administrators, accountants/bookkeepers, and accounting/
bookkeeping programs.
Monitoring practice performance against peers can help identify both
strengths and vulnerabilities. For example, if a practice is spending
30 percent of revenue on drug and medical supply costs while the
industry average is closer to 26 percent,
1
it may be worth assessing
whether inventory management processes could be optimized to
get closer to that benchmark level.
Similarly, the average U.S. veterinary practice generated $554,982 in
gross revenue per FTE veterinarian in 2024.
2
If a practice falls below
that benchmark, practice owners should examine the underlying drivers
and consider what operational or staffing adjustments could help move
performance closer to or above the industry average.
Industry tools such as the AVMA Veterinary Industry Tracker and the
Veterinary Management Group's Veterinary Economic Barometer
can further help practices understand national trends and compare
them to local performance. By consistently tracking key metrics and
staying informed about broader economic conditions, veterinary
practices can identify risks early and make informed, strategic
adjustments to remain resilient.
1. AVMA Practice Owners Survey 2024-2025
2. AVMA Practice Owners Survey 2020-2025
A B O U T T H E P R E S E N T E R
DR. Chris Doherty, MBA, CBV, assistant director, strategic business research
and outreach, AVMA, presented "Veterinary Business 101: Key Practice Metrics
and Economic Indicators to Monitor," at VMX Virtual 2026 World Classic.
