Managing client complaints: identifying and mitigating their detrimental impacts on veterinary practitioners

Irwin, Amy

doi:10.1002/vetr.2152

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Compared to economic animals, companion animals are “their families”, [ 1 ] not “pets or functional animals” [ 2 ] to clients, so the small animal medical disputes pressures are as enormous as human medicine. These medical disputes might cause veterinarians many negative impacts, including mental stress and physical problems [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Veterinarians and Veterinary Students on What Risk Factors Constitute Medical Disputes and Comparisons between 2014 and 2022

Chen

Hsu

Lee

et al. 2023

Veterinary Sciences

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This study compared the risk perceptions of medical disputes among veterinarians and veterinary students in Taiwan between 2014 and 2022. Online validity-tested questionnaires were used to collect data, with 106 (73 veterinarians and 33 students) and 157 (126 veterinarians and 31 students) surveys collected in 2014 and 2022, respectively. Respondents would be asked to rate their perceptions on how likely each risk factor constitutes a medical dispute according to their past experiences on a five-point Likert scale from 1 to 5: “Very unlikely, unlikely, neutral, likely, very likely.” The results showed that overall risk perceptions increased significantly in 2022 compared to 2014, with the top risk factors being attitudes during interactions and complaint management among experienced veterinarians. In contrast, students considered medical skills and clients’ perspectives as the top two risk factors, with complaints management ranking as the least significant factor. The findings suggest that effective communication and complaint management are crucial in preventing medical disputes, highlighting the importance of developing these skills in young veterinarians and veterinary students to reduce medical disputes. The study also recommends increasing practical experiences of medical disputes and complaint management in veterinary education to bridge the gap between the perceptions of experienced veterinarians and students.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Veterinarians and Veterinary Students on What Risk Factors Constitute Medical Disputes and Comparisons between 2014 and 2022

Chen

Hsu

Lee

et al. 2023

Veterinary Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, older practitioners faced a 1.5-to-2.1-times-higher risk of receiving complaints, which generally increases with age [ 29 ]. Nevertheless, veterinarians with more years of practice may have more medical skills experience, enabling them to identify risks of complaints earlier and address them promptly, potentially reducing their likelihood of encountering medical disputes [ 18 , 28 , 43 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most efficient approach to managing unfavorable veterinary outcomes includes minimizing the associated risks, proactively addressing clients’ frustrations to prevent escalation, and devising practical methods to identify and rectify pre-existing disappointments. Consequently, veterinarians have advocated enhancing their abilities to meet clients’ expectations [ 4 , 11 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Although it has traditionally been undervalued, the significance of communication and interpersonal skills is increasingly acknowledged in veterinary medicine, which may better equip veterinarians to confront anticipated challenges [ 6 , 7 , 24 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most efficient approach to managing unfavorable veterinary outcomes includes minimizing the associated risks, proactively addressing clients' frustrations to prevent escalation, and devising practical methods to identify and rectify pre-existing disappointments. Consequently, veterinarians have advocated enhancing their abilities to meet clients' expectations [4,11,[28][29][30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Are They Thinking Differently? The Perceptions and Differences in Medical Disputes between Veterinarians and Clients

Chen

Hsu

Lee

et al. 2023

Veterinary Sciences

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Medical disputes in veterinary practices are widespread; yet, a limited amount of research has been conducted to investigate the factors contributing to medical disputes. This study examined veterinarians’ and clients’ perceptions regarding risk factors and possible solutions to medical disputes. A total of 245 respondents from Taiwan, including 125 veterinarians and 120 clients, completed an electronic self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire in 2022. The questionnaire covered six dimensions: medical skills, complaint management, the attitudes of stakeholders during interactions, medical expenses, clients’ perspectives, and communication modes. The results highlighted significant differences in the perceptions of risk factors for inducing medical disputes and possible solutions between clients and veterinarians in veterinary practice. First, young veterinarians and clients perceived medical skills as the highest risk factor for inducing medical disputes, while experienced veterinarians disagreed (p < 0.001). In addition, veterinarians with medical dispute experience identified stakeholders’ attitudes during interactions as the top contributing factor. Second, regarding possible solutions, all veterinarians preferred offering clients cost estimates and cultivating empathy and compassion towards them. On the other hand, clients underscored the importance of obtaining informed consent for treatments and expenses and suggested that veterinarians should supply comprehensive written information to facilitate this process. This study underlies the importance of understanding stakeholders’ perceptions to mitigate medical disputes and advocates for improved communication education and training for young veterinarians. These findings provide valuable insights for veterinarians and clients, contributing to preventing and managing medical disputes in veterinary practices.

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Managing client complaints: identifying and mitigating their detrimental impacts on veterinary practitioners

Cited by 2 publications

References 12 publications

Perceptions of Veterinarians and Veterinary Students on What Risk Factors Constitute Medical Disputes and Comparisons between 2014 and 2022

Perceptions of Veterinarians and Veterinary Students on What Risk Factors Constitute Medical Disputes and Comparisons between 2014 and 2022

Are They Thinking Differently? The Perceptions and Differences in Medical Disputes between Veterinarians and Clients

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