Provide a Spectrum of Care to Increase Veterinary Access to More Clients

Access to veterinary care is an important topic with implications for pets, owners, and veterinarians. Read on for an overview of the article, “Spectrum of care: more than treatment options,” in the “Viewpoints” section of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA).  

Overview of the Problem 

A 2018 survey by the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition found that 28% of pet owners experienced a barrier to veterinary care in the last 2 years, and 23% of pet owners were unable to provide preventive care for at least one of their pets. Combine that with Pets for Life data that approximately 17 million pets living in underserved communities have never seen a veterinarian, and the magnitude of the issue becomes clear.  

Solving the Problem 

Lack of access to veterinary care puts pets and people at risk. Pet owners may feel desperation because they can’t afford to help their pet, and veterinarians and their staff may suffer moral distress from not being able to treat an animal in need. 

Fortunately, there are strategies that can be used to improve access to veterinary care.  

Change the Perception of the Best Course of Treatment  

Many veterinarians practice with the goal of providing the most technologically advanced and expensive treatment option which may or may not lead to the best possible outcome or longest survival. 

Concentrating on providing the most technologically advanced and expensive treatment option limits patient care: 

• Pets may lose out on simpler, less expensive treatments that would improve their lives or reduce suffering. 

• Veterinarians may be reluctant to offer some viable treatment options out of concern for their reputations and fear of litigation.  

• Pet owners may feel powerless that they are unable to help their pet. 

Shifting the perception that there is only one “best” option changes the focus to providing an array of options based on clinical research and evidence, opening the possibility that more pets will receive the care they need.  

When veterinarians and pet owners work together, the outcome for the pet improves.

Offer a Spectrum of Care 

Empowering veterinarians and clients to consider a wide range of treatment strategies from technologically advanced and expensive to less advanced and less expensive has the potential to improve everyone’s access to needed medical care for their pets. 

Discussing the pros and cons of different treatment options and placing those options in the context of the family’s ability to provide care, may improve the client’s perception of the treatment option they choose even if they don’t choose the most technologically advanced or expensive treatment. 

Build a Veterinarian-Client Relationship 

When veterinarians and pet owners work together, the outcome for the pet improves.  

Many veterinarians offer a spectrum of care options.  Here are some effective strategies to do it well and to build trust with clients:  

• Practice reflective listening by verbally summarizing what the pet owner has shared. 

• Ask open-ended questions. 

• Consider the order in which treatment options are presented. Don’t automatically start with the most technologically advanced and expensive option, as this may bias the pet owner’s decision-making.  

• Give time for the pet owner to process information and ask questions. 

• Provide translations in various languages when needed.

An additional benefit of building veterinarian-client relationships is that the partnerships may help to alleviate some of the burnout and moral distress that many veterinarians experience and improve professional satisfaction. 

Read the entire JAVMA article and learn more about how incorporating a spectrum of veterinary care improves the lives of pets and the people who care for them.   

You can also review a related study about pet owners' perceptions and experiences with community veterinary clinics.