Communication skills education onsite in a veterinary practice.
OBJECTIVE
To provide communication skills education to veterinary professionals in the practice setting and evaluate the training by measuring veterinarian communication pre- and post-intervention.


METHODS
This is a case-based pre-test/post-test intervention study of a veterinary practice in Denver, CO. Four veterinarians from a single practice and 48 clients (selected to represent wellness and problem visits) were recruited to the study. The veterinarians took part in a training intervention consisting of a year-long curriculum, including interactive communication modules, individual coaching and communication laboratories. Six visit interactions were measured for each of the 4 veterinarians pre- and post-skill training. The Roter interaction analysis system (RIAS) was used to analyze the study's 48 videotapes.


RESULTS
Compared to the pre-training visits, veterinarians gathered twice as much lifestyle-social data (p<0.02), and used 1.5 times more partnership building (p<0.03) and positive rapport-building (p<0.01) communication. Clients provided 1.4 times more lifestyle/social information (p<0.02) and expressed 1.7 times more emotional statements (p<0.01) in post-training visits.


CONCLUSIONS
The training intervention promoted a more client-centered approach to veterinarian-client communication.


CONCLUSIONS
Practice-based communication training is novel to veterinary practice. As a case study, generalization of the findings are limited, however the findings support the efficacy of the communication intervention and enhanced utilization of veterinarian-client communication skills by these veterinarians.
Shaw
Jane R
JR
Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA. jane.shaw@colostate.edu
Barley
Gwyn E
GE
Hill
Ashley E
AE
Larson
Susan
S
Roter
Debra L
DL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017750:Animal Technicians / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003120:Colorado; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000523:psychology*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult