%0 Journal Article
%T Communication in production animal medicine: modelling a complex interaction with the example of dairy herd health medicine
%A Joachim L Kleen
%A Owen Atkinson
%A Jos PTM Noordhuizen
%J Irish Veterinary Journal
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/2046-0481-64-8
%X Veterinary advisory practice in production animal medicine is, however, characterised by a more complex communication on different levels. While the person-orientated communication is a permanent process between veterinarian and client with a rather personal perspective and defines the roles of interaction, the problem-orientated communication deals with emerging difficulties; the objective is to solve an acute health problem. The solution - orientated communication is a form of communication in which both veterinarian and client address longstanding situations or problems with the objective to improve herd health and subsequently productivity performance. All three forms of communication overlap.Based on this model, it appears useful for a veterinary practice to offer both a curative and an advisory service, but to keep these two separated when deemed appropriate. In veterinary education, the strategies and techniques necessary for solution orientated communication should be included in the teaching of communication skills.In both human and veterinary medicine, communication skills have received growing attention over the recent years [1]. Over the past 20 years, the importance of communication skills (CS) in human medicine has increasingly been recognized [2]. Various reports describe the importance for Good Medical Practice. It has been shown that CS are relevant for patients' perception of satisfaction [3] and patients' compliance to treatment protocols [4]. The role of communicating health risks, rationale of a therapy and long term-strategy is deemed important and reported for different diseases such as stroke [5] or osteoporosis [6].In veterinary medicine, various reports and papers have highlighted the relevance of communication skills in the context of veterinary education, clinical science and practice management [7-10]. Professional communication skills refer to the ability of the veterinarian to communicate appropriately and effectively with clients [11]
%U http://www.irishvetjournal.org/content/64/1/8