Animal Dynamics

A recent article in the November 2008 issue of Compendium: "Are Clients Truly Informed? Communication Tools and Risk Reduction" discusses an important recognition of the value of communication skills in veterinary medicine. Communication has historically been viewed as a "soft" skill, and given very little emphasis in veterinary school.

 

The article references a study of physicians treating human patients and measures the accuracy of their diagnosis 1) after taking a history, 2) after the physical exam, and 3) after performing laboratory investigation.

The not terribly surprising results (to most Veterinary Family Practitioners) is that the history led to the final diagnosis in 76% of the patients. Physical exam revealed the diagnosis in only 12% and laboratory investigation in only 11%. Physical exam and laboratory investigation were important in helping rule out specific diagnoses and increasing the physician's confidence in his or her history based diagnosis.

As previously noted in "How Doctors Think" by Jerome Groupman, listening is the foundation of diagnostic accuracy.

The Compendium article contends "reliance on the client-reported history in veterinary medicine is equally important."

Successful communicators use the "ask-tell-ask" or "chunk-and-check" methods to collect information from the client and pass information back.

Studies have also demonstrated that good communication is the key to avoiding malpractice claims.

For more information see the Association for Veterinary Family Practice