AVMA unveils new “Language of Veterinary Care” online tools and breakthrough research

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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has released the “Language of Veterinary Care,” a set of comprehensive new online tools to help veterinarians effectively communicate to pet parents about the value of pet preventive care and the importance of wellness visits.

According to an organizational release, these resources stress personal connections and improved communication by enabling veterinary professionals to use “language that works” when conversing with clients about why and when they should go to the veterinarian, the various services available, and addressing the costs of care.

“Pet owners want to do what’s best for their animals,” said José Arce, DVM, president of the AVMA, in the release. “Our goal is to help our members better engage with their clients so pet owners bring their animals in for regular check-ups and follow their veterinarians’ recommendations. Improved communications can also help alleviate some of the pressures that veterinarians, clinic staffs, and pet owners are currently experiencing because of the pandemic.”

Though a majority of pet parents receive regular veterinary care and have confidence in their veterinarian, research conducted by the AVMA discovered that many owners still do not obtain regular veterinary care for their pets; the main reasons cited involved affordability and value perception challenges, according to the release.

To help combat these hurdles, the AVMA teamed up with a language strategy firm to investigate how veterinary teams can better connect with clients. The research offered insight from pet owners regarding their preference of communication and what resonates most with them during visits—finding its valued relationships and personalized care. With assistance from Synchrony’s products, CareCredit, and Pets Best Insurance Services, the AVMA is currently developing a series of content pieces available to its members for translating this research into actionable information for veterinary use.

“Language matters and we are excited to support this initiative to help veterinarians communicate the importance of wellness care in ways that resonate with pet owners,” said Boo Larsen, general manager of veterinary medicine at Synchrony.

“We are thrilled to sponsor this groundbreaking study because of its emphasis on building stronger communication between veterinarians and their clients to support personalized recommendations and trusted relationships. This meshes perfectly with our commitment to strengthening the veterinary/client/patient bond by weaving cost and financial choices into the relationship to keep the focus on the pet’s care,” she added.

“We are very grateful to Synchrony for helping to bring this far-reaching and thorough research into the spotlight, and for supporting these path-breaking new initiatives that will benefit animals, clients and veterinarians alike,” remarked Arce.

Reference

Groundbreaking new Language of Veterinary Care research finds that pet owners value relationship and personalized care when interacting with veterinary teams. News release. September 20, 2021; American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed September 20, 2021. [email].