Kenneth Pierce spotlights a new model for specialty access

Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist Kenneth Pierce, DVM, MS, DACVO, is getting fresh attention for a career path that now spans specialty practice and a growing consultative business model for general practice. In a March 16, 2026, episode of Vet Life Reimagined, Pierce described his path from New Orleans to founding Veterinary Vision Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, and building VESPECON, a veterinary specialty consulting platform designed to connect general practitioners with board-certified specialists on demand. His practice website says Veterinary Vision Center is an in-network specialty hospital of VESPECON, while VESPECON positions itself as a concierge-style specialty consultation, referral support, imaging, and CE resource for practices. (music.amazon.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, Pierce’s story points to a broader industry issue: specialty access remains uneven, especially outside major metro areas. VESPECON’s pitch is that primary care teams can keep managing more cases in-house while collaborating with specialists and securing referral help when needed. That aligns with wider discussion in the profession about making referral pathways easier and more collaborative, rather than waiting until a case becomes harder to manage. (iheart.com)

What to watch: Watch whether platforms like VESPECON gain broader adoption as practices look for practical ways to close specialist-access gaps without losing continuity of care. (vespecon.com)