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Veterinary care usually begins in the examination room. That being said, Tate Animal Hospital had a problem with their exam room protocol. Typically, the pet and owner are escorted to an exam room and greeted by a veterinary technician who takes a basic history and vital signs. Some seasonal and age-related suggestions are mentioned for the owner’s attention. Next, the veterinarian enters the room and addresses the specific problem of the animal’s visit.
However, this basic exam room protocol has recently evolved into a more complex presentation, causing a bone of contention among staff members. The hospital director scheduled a staff meeting to discuss the problems.
Some veterinarians and technicians felt that the exam room experience had too much of an upsell effect. Staff were encouraged to mention blood tests for older dogs, promotions on parasite preventative medications, dental evaluations and additional procedures available. On the surface, this seems like an appropriate discussion to have with a pet owner, although several staff members felt it was too much information to discuss during a visit. Some customers even commented that they thought the staff was pushy when mentioning these services. Meanwhile, the hospital director and some veterinarians on staff felt it was important to share all of this with the client.
The consensual approach constitutes an effective compromise. What is discussed in the exam room should be linked to each patient’s individual risk assessment. Owners of younger pets should be informed about microchipping, pet insurance, and non-essential vaccinations in accordance with their pet’s lifestyle choices. Owners of older pets should be educated on the importance of annual blood tests, dental disease in seniors, and support protocols for arthritis. There is no doubt that information presented in the exam room leads to increased sales of medical diagnostics. However, this should never be seen as a self-aggrandizing upsell, but rather as a helpful suggestion for maintaining the health and well-being of the animal.
The quest for profit in veterinary practices is still present. After all, veterinary medicine is a combination of a medical facility and a small for-profit business. It is always tempting for the profit motive to trump good medical judgment. This must be resisted at all costs. The best way to maintain a good ethical balance in these two areas begins and ends in the exam room. The relationship between the animal, its owner and the veterinarian is established during meetings in the examination room. This is where a relationship based on competence and trust is established. This can be easily undermined when staff are encouraged behind the scenes to promote certain optional products and procedures during exam room visits. Tate Animal Hospital staff discussed these issues and adjusted their exam room recommendations to meet the needs of their animal patients and the perceptions of their clientele. Do you have any other recommendations for discussions in the exam room at Tate Animal Hospital? We would like to know.
Rosenberg’s response
The caring one-on-one interaction between a veterinary clinician and a pet owner can never be replaced by a tutorial, a Zoom call, or artificial intelligence tools. Ethical and professional motivations will lead to healthy pets and satisfied customers. These motivations have led to lucrative practices for many years and will continue to do so. Always remember to wear your professional hat and you can’t go wrong.
Marc Rosenberg, VMD, is director of Voorhees Veterinary Center in Voorhees, New Jersey. Although many of the scenarios Rosenberg describes in his column are based on real events, the veterinary practices, doctors and employees described are fictional.