The Complex Relationship Between Veterinarian Mental Health and Client Satisfaction

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Psychology
• Client Relations

Background:

• Canadian veterinarians face high rates of poor mental health.
• No prior studies examined the link between veterinarian mental health and client/patient outcomes.
• Understanding this association is crucial for veterinary practice and client care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between veterinarian mental health and veterinary client satisfaction.
• To explore how veterinarians' psychological states influence client perceptions of care.
• To identify potential implications for client adherence, loyalty, and practice income.

Main Methods:

• Randomly sampled 60 veterinarians in southwestern Ontario, Canada (Nov 2017-Jan 2019).
• Veterinarians completed psychometric surveys assessing various mental health indicators (e.g., burnout, stress, depression).
• Recruited 995 companion animal clients who completed a post-appointment satisfaction survey.

Main Results:

• Associations between client satisfaction and veterinarian mental health were non-linear and complex.
• Higher client satisfaction was unexpectedly linked to poorer veterinarian mental health states in some models.
• Lower client satisfaction correlated with mental health scores indicating wellness in some models.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between veterinarian mental health and client satisfaction is intricate and warrants further investigation.
• Findings suggest potential impacts on client adherence, loyalty, and veterinary business income.
• This study highlights the need to consider veterinarian well-being in the context of client-centered care.