Organizing external communication in the veterinary practice

Abstract

Evidence shows that there is a need to develop a communicative structure for the veterinary consultation. The Calgary-Cambridge Model on communication within the veterinary practice demonstrates a parallel development of personal relationship and structure of the consultation. This applies to all types of veterinary practice. Unlike companion animal practice, however, production animal practice regularly involves elements of long-term consultancy work. Therefore, next to the structure of a mere consultation, the relationship with the client has to be built in order to sustain this advisory kind of veterinary service. Veterinary advisory practice is therefore characterised by communication on different levels beyond the consultation itself. While the person-orientated communication is a permanent process between veterinarian and client with a rather personal perspective, the problem-orientated communication deals with emerging difficulties; the objective here is to solve an acute health problem. Finally, the solution- orientated communication is a form of communication in which both veterinarian and client address longstanding situations or problems with the objective to improve herd health and subsequently productivity performance. Although all three forms of communication seem to overlap, it appears to be of use to analyse them separately. A veterinary practice intending to offer both curative and advisory service, should keep these two separate wherever appropriate. This is relevant especially with respect to the frequently described problems of invoicing services within solution-orientated communication.