Exam-room communication: Truth in numbers
These statistics reveal hard facts about average client interactions.
In a field know for its warm fuzzies toward animals and their owners, veterinarians fell way short in their use of empathy with clients in the 2008 JAVMA communication study. Only 7 percent of doctors used statements of empathy during any type of appointment! Here are a few more findings, surprising or not, from the study:
> Veterinarians appeared hurried during 20 percent of problem appointments.
> Clients appeared anxious during 26 percent of the problem appointments, and emotionally distressed during 14 percent.
> Appointments, wellness or otherwise, lasted an average of 13 minutes.
> Veterinarians dominated most conversations, contributing 62 percent of the medical dialogue statements—54 percent directed to the client and 8 percent to the patient.
> Clients who visited a veterinarian for a problem-specific appointment made significantly more visits to a veterinarian annually than did clients who had brought their animals for a wellness appointment.
> Veterinarians talked twice as much to the pet during wellness appointments as they did during problem appointments.
> Veterinarians made significantly more statements of reassurance during wellness appointments than during problem appointments.
> Doctors were significantly more likely to ask for the client's opinion during wellness appointments, but more likely to ask about the client's understanding during problem appointments.
