Owners love their animals and want the best for them, but despite seeking and spending money on veterinary care, they frequently fail to follow their vets’ instructions when it comes to medication.
One 2003 study1 found owner compliance with vet instructions in 64% of cases, suggesting something is going very wrong.
Common reasons given by owners include:
- lack of trust in the clinician
- failing to remember everything in the consultation
- confusion and misunderstanding the treatment plan
- lack of perceived value in treatment or health improvement
- ability to administer treatment effectively
Ensuring effective communication
We need to empower our clients so they can adequately follow our instructions and help bring their pets back to health. Here are some things you can try.
Empathy
Owners who feel their concerns have been listened to are far more likely to follow veterinary advice; build a working relationship based on trust. Even something as simple as “this must be hard for you” goes a long way.
Reflective listening
Summarise what the client said and relay it back to them, to be on the same page. “So Fluffy started vomiting two days ago and now she’s not eating, is this correct?”
Ask them to reflect back
Asking clients for their understanding of the situation is particularly useful. It is surprising how much information can be lost due to information overload.
“We just went through a lot of information, just to make sure we are on the same page, do you mind telling me what your understanding of the situation is?”
Outcomes assessment
You need to make sure the owner’s expectations and concerns are listened to and addressed. Make sure this translates to practical outcomes and specific treatment steps for the owner, and involve clients as much as possible.
- “Can I ask, what concerns or expectations you have?” This is an open-ended question that asks clients to say what they are thinking.
- Make sure the clients are able to administer the medications to their pets.
Written instructions
Avoid bombarding clients with information and write pertinent instructions down.
Provide a typed discharge summary containing the key points or have a notepad and pen in the consultation room so you can write down key points and provide it to them (keep handwriting legible).
What the practice can do
Team work
Get the entire practice team on board with compliance protocols; everyone needs to change how they interact with clients to improve compliance overall.
Follow up
Follow-up calls with clients to see how treatments are going and also to see if they have come across challenges that resulting in reduced compliance.
Keep records
Track the current levels of compliance > implement changes > track compliance again and see if changes were effective.
Set realistic goals
As an example, once a month the team could reflect on what they’ve done differently, practice reflective listening skills to sharpen communication skills and develop solutions to problems that have arisen.
No I in team
Veterinary medicine is all about teamwork – not just within the practice, but with your clients, too. Without teamwork at all levels we simply can’t provide the exceptional care for our patients we all want.
If we make it a team priority, the patient is the one who benefits from all our efforts.
