Effective Communication In Veterinary Healthcare

During a recent visit to Animal Hospital at University of Airlangga, I observed the interactions between health professionals, clients and the professionals. This allows me to understand the critical role of effective communication in veterinary care.

Illusion of Animal Hospital. By Low Qi Hao

As we walked in the front door of the animal hospital, we were immediately greeted by the front counter staff who wanted to know how they could assist us. That first interaction is a good sign for our visit. The greeting phase was especially important in healthcare because it leaves a positive first impression and give the client a sense of friendly and professionalism. This positive manner can easily help potential clients to get rid of their dear or worries that they may experience when stepping into a clinical environment. Engagement in healthcare is so important because it makes clients feel like their values matter and they were understood, which contributes to trust levels. Research shows that an initial interaction can significantly influence patient trust. In both human and animal healthcare, client satisfaction and willingness to adhere to prescribed treatment plans has been shown having a direct relationship with the quality of initial greetings. This is because positive involvement allows a client to feel as though the healthcare provider genuinely values his or her welfare

The veterinarians and assistants in the hospital is patient and using simple terms and sentences that can be easily understood by the client to explain procedures, diagnosis and treatment for an effective communication. Having this transparency is key in healthcare communication because it supports the client knowledge which results in the decrease of anxiety level and forms a partnership of care among client and health providers. This is key in veterinary medicine where the pet cannot talk back, and so much relies on the client as the representative of this patient to understand what has occurred and what will happen next. Empirical studies also show that clear communication can improve treatment compliance and reduce misunderstandings because clients are more likely to follow through on advice when they understand the reason behind it.

Illusion of pet-centered veterinary healthcare. By Low Qi Hao

The communication observed was not limited to verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is also unneglectable, especially between the veterinarians/assistants and the animals. Soothing tones, gentle touches, and slow movements calmed the animals and reduced their stress because they were familiar with non-verbal cues. This task is particularly important in veterinary practice, where animal cannot speak and respond. The actions of the professionals provided a sense of safety and empathy that seemed to comfort the animals, allowing health care staff to examine and perform procedures more efficiently. Non-verbal cues are often be the way to express empathy and help to ease animals' fear and anxiety in unfamiliar environments. This can improve animals' experiences, leading to better diagnoses, more effective care, and a more humane approach to veterinary medicine.

Our second interesting observation was about communication between health professionals. The veterinarians and their assistants worked in close coordination, consulting on the best way to treat an animal and sharing observations about each case. This ensures seamless and precision-based care delivery while eliminating the chances of errors to improve quality service. Combining them allows their skills to be utilized fully while eliminating barriers that would otherwise create a disjointed and unsupportive work culture. A few studies in animal healthcare mention that environments where healthcare workers communicate effectively see lower accident rate due to human error. When dealing with distressed animals, teamwork and shared understanding enable staff to respond quickly to animal's needs, reducing the time spent in potentially stressful procedures and ultimately improving both patient and client satisfaction. The medical professionals showed genuine commitment, going above and beyond to take care of every animal respectfully, which is an important quality of veterinary medicine. This is an invaluable skill in health care as empathy not only enhances client experience but also leads to better health outcomes. Staff were not only patient in explaining the situation to pet owners, but they showed a caring interest about their pets ensuring that clients felt at ease.

During this visit to the Animal Hospital at University of Airlangga, we were reminded of how important role that communication, empathy and patience are in veterinary care. Healthcare professionals relied on Verbal and Non-verbal interactions, building trust led to ensure client satisfaction and giving comfort level for the animals. This is backed by data on the proven clinical outcomes of having empathy, communication and teamwork in the practice-driving improved patient outcomes and satisfaction rates. The veterinarians and their assistants exhibited a quality of care that is patient-centered and pet-center first, which is also a good example for all health care systems.