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Enhancing Communication and Collaboration Between Specialists and Referring Veterinarians
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As the number of veterinary specialists and client interest in referrals has increased in the last 5-10 years, some areas of concern have surfaced regarding the working relationship between veterinary specialists and referring veterinarians. The first step to improve communication and collaboration between specialists and referring veterinarians is to promote understanding about relevant issues and challenges for each group. Then action should be taken to facilitate improved communications.
Economic Challenges
General practitioners face a variety of economic concerns today such as the loss of vaccine income, a decrease in sterilization procedures, income lost to overthe-counter medications and internet pharmacies, lack of business skills, downturns in the economy, and increasing student debt. Some veterinarians regard referral of cases to specialists as another area of potential lost revenue and increasingly think twice before referring patients to specialists.
Specialists face the economic challenge of maintaining a profitable caseload in large part due to high overhead expenses. In the U.S. many specialists now face competition from other specialty practices in their area. Other economic frustrations reported by specialists include: timeliness of referrals by area veterinarians, veterinarians’ lack of awareness or knowledge regarding when to refer patients, referring veterinarians misjudging clients’ willingness to pay for specialty care, and limited awareness of pet owners about the availability of specialists.
Communication Challenges
Common communication concerns expressed by general practitioners include: timeliness of return phone calls, lack of availability of specialists, referral reports that aren’t sent promptly, inadequate follow-up communication regarding referral cases and poor client service to pet owners. In addition, some veterinarians feel that specialists tend to talk to them in a condescending or disrespectful manner.
Specialists have the following communication challenges: finding enough time in a day to return calls to both groups of clients-the pet owners and the referring veterinarians, requests for phone consultations from veterinarians that never refer cases, unavailability of practitioners when calls are returned, incomplete or illegible medical records, unrealistic or erroneous expectations given to pet owners and referring veterinarians that are defensive when feedback is offered regarding cases. [...]
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