Understanding the Client Relationship
Strategies for the avoidance of conflict and disagreements, between veterinary surgeons and clients, work best where sound working relationships have been established. The welfare of the client’s animal is the basis for working together.
While you are considering your treatment options and plans, keep in mind that a contract is being formed with the client. The contractual basis for the provision of the veterinary services to the client is very important. The terms of the contract should be expressed clearly and framed in positive terms so as to avoid doubt and lack of trust later on.
Factors such as:
- likely extent and cost of the services
- the expected outcomes
- the risks involved
- the timing of future events
- details such as when to collect the animal
- probable dates and number of future consultations
- the need for further treatment
all require clear definition and comprehension if misunderstandings and conflict later on are to be avoided.
The use of authorisation and consent forms reduces the terms of the agreement to writing, in concise words designed to assist in achieving a “meeting of minds” between the parties. Your forms need to be in words the client can understand and you should make sure the client actually reads and agrees with what is written.
The provision of comprehensive advice and assessment of options, in consultation with the client, together with documentation of the discussion and choices made, will minimise opportunities for conflict later on. The owner may exercise the right to elect your second treatment option once everything has been explained and you should then ensure that you document the decision and the possible outcomes of that decision.
Focussing the client’s interest in the animal and encouraging the client to take personal responsibility for the care and follow-up treatment will also reduce the opportunity for conflict. You may say that all of this takes more time during consultations, but this is time well spent in comparison with the time needed to deal with a conflict or complaint situation. These issues arise in large animal areas also.
It follows that the more complex and costly the case (or in large animal areas, the more valuable the animal), the greater the value in avoiding doubt about any of the terms of the agreement with the client from the outset. That is not to overlook the fact that some of the most bitter and time-consuming disputes do arise out of relatively minor fact situations and it is prudent to have policies and procedures in place to cover any situation that may arise.
Doctors Health
Advisory Service (NSW)
An independent and confidential service for doctors, dentists, veterinarians
and students in need.
Calls for help are often associated with the following problems:
- Alcoholism
- Clinical competence
- Drug Addiction (especially to narcotics)
- Financial difficulties
- Legal & Ethical Issues
- Marital Breakdown
- Physical Impairment
- Psychiatric Disorders http://www.dmh.org.au/dhas.htm
