Implications of a Novel Method for Analyzing Communication in Routine Veterinary Patient Visits for Veterinary...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Communication Studies
• Human-Animal Interaction
• Clinical Communication Models

Background:

• The patient-centered clinical method (PCCM) was developed in the 1980s to analyze patient-physician communication.
• PCCM includes elements of patient- and physician-oriented dialogue, shared decision-making, and emotional expression.
• Adapting PCCM for veterinary settings offers a new lens to examine veterinarian-client communication dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and apply the patient-centered clinical method (PCCM) to analyze communication patterns in routine veterinary patient visits.
• To identify the proportion and frequency of different PCCM elements within veterinary consultations.
• To evaluate the extent of client-centeredness in veterinary communication.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-five routine veterinary visits in the UK and US were video-recorded.
• Recordings were transcribed and coded using an adapted PCCM framework.
• Analysis focused on the frequency and proportion of observed PCCM communication elements.

Main Results:

• Communication elements related to information gathering and shared decision-making constituted the largest proportion of observed interactions.
• Elements concerning the presenting condition's signs and its effects on clients' lives were least represented.
• Dialogue flow was iterative and moved fluidly between veterinarian and client perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Veterinary patient visits are predominantly focused on information exchange and planning rather than exploring the impact of health issues on clients' lives.
• The iterative and sometimes random flow of dialogue highlights potential areas for communication improvement.
• Further research and emphasis on these communication aspects are recommended for developing and teaching enhanced client-centered veterinary communication models.