With the arrival of the New Year, come resolutions and renewed commitments to health and fitness. How many of us have made resolutions to “get in shape” and “eat healthy” in 2012? These behavior modifications are exactly what preventive health care is all about. Sounds like the kind of care that Banfield promotes for pets on wellness plans, doesn’t it? While I was off for the holiday break in December, I had a chance to watch Dr. Oz on television. He’s the guru of preventive care for the human masses! How does he do it? What impressed me was how clear and actionable his advice was and how much I felt it applied to me! As veterinarians, how can we communicate in the same compelling way to our clients on behalf of their pets? Can we be the Dr. Oz of veterinary medicine to motivate and support compliance to our recommendations?
Communication resources in veterinary medicine outline the caveats of good communication and Dr. Nan Boss makes some great points in her reference.
My 3 big take-aways from her book are:
1) Excellent communication in the veterinary practice is a team sport – from the receptionist to the DVM to paraprofessionals
2) Keep it simple – use plain language to describe health issues not medical jargon
3) Provide concise written information in support of your diagnoses and treatment recommendations
We know from the 2011 State of Pet Health Report that the most common pet diseases are those that are entirely preventable. Strong communication is vital to client compliance to veterinary recommendations for preventive care. The Bayer Brakke study found that 59% of dog owners and 56% of cat owners would bring their pets in more often if they could prevent problems and extensive treatments later on.
For our 2012 resolutions, let’s make enhanced client communications skills a priority so that we can help even more pets get the preventive care that they deserve!