8th International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine (ICCVM)

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2018) | Viewed by 12276

Special Issue Editors

Ross University School of Veterinary MedicineSimulation Lab P.O. Box 334 Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
Interests: clinical communication; medical education; simulation; assessment; human–animal bond; diversity; one-health approach
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Interests: clinical communication; veterinary education; assessment; animal welfare; population health; epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The practice of excellent veterinary medicine is inextricably linked with skilled communication: you cannot have one without the other. This is true no matter what role you play in the profession of veterinary medicine, no matter whether you work in urban or rural settings, primary or specialty care, small animal, equine, production animals, avian-exotics or public health. The research evidence to date confirms that the achievement of a number of outcomes in veterinary medicine are highly dependent on communication competence. The evidence in favor of the significance of communication to the veterinary profession is too strong to refute and identifies clinical communication a vital competency for good practice and patient care.

Over the last several years, interest in communication in veterinary medicine and education has increased across veterinary practitioners, researchers, educators, students, industry, and various organizations and councils on veterinary education. Considering the findings regarding the relationship between communication and many important outcomes, it’s not surprising that communication must be and is starting to be taught with as much rigor as medical technical knowledge, clinical reasoning, physical examination and other procedural skills.

At the helm of early research regarding communication in practice settings and veterinary education, the first International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine (ICCVM) was held in 2004 in Ontario Canada. The 2004 meeting and the five meetings thereafter brought together researchers, educators, practitioners, industry partners, social workers, lawyers, psychologists, physicians and others.  This critical mass of people has served as a compass and guide to moving communication forward to promote the health and well-being of the veterinary profession.

The ICCVM is THE communication conference with thought-provoking keynotes, experiential workshops, podium and poster presentations. The meeting has endeavored, with great success, to link current research in veterinary communication to practical applications in veterinary–client interactions, veterinary team dynamics and veterinary communication education and curricula development.

The eighth ICCVM, and that which this special issue of Veterinary Science will highlight, and will include communication research conducted over the past few years, educational research and methods of teaching and assessing communication competence. In-depth information will also include the science and art of feedback, how to set up a simulated client and patient program in teaching and practice settings, communication and coaching skills for use in education and practice settings.

The ICCVM is sponsored by the following communities: Royal Canin; Merck; Virbac; University of Calgary, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Guelph; Ross University School of Veterinary medicine. Thank you to our 2018 Sponsors!

Conference Website: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/iccvm2017/483526/

Assist. Prof. Dr. Elpida Artemiou
Prof. Dr. Cindy Adams
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Relationship-centered care
  • veterinarian–client–patient communication
  • communication research methods
  • one health communication
  • inter professional teaching and learning

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1107 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Final Year Veterinary Students’ Telephone Communication Skills at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital
by M. Katie Sheats, Sarah Hammond and April A. Kedrowicz
Vet. Sci. 2018, 5(4), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci5040099 - 03 Dec 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5098
Abstract
Client communication is a core clinical skill that is taught as part of the required curriculum at many veterinary colleges. Although much client communication occurs face-to-face, telephone communication is used to provide patient updates, relay results of diagnostic tests, and check on discharged [...] Read more.
Client communication is a core clinical skill that is taught as part of the required curriculum at many veterinary colleges. Although much client communication occurs face-to-face, telephone communication is used to provide patient updates, relay results of diagnostic tests, and check on discharged patients. This research explored fourth year veterinary medical students’ telephone communication skills. We recorded and analyzed the transcripts of 25 calls students made to clients of three different services in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Additionally, we explored the perspectives of veterinary educators by distributing a survey to university faculty and house officers (n = 57). Results indicate that students excelled at identifying the patient and purpose of the call and incorporating professional language and clear explanations. They require development in providing structure and incorporating core communication skills. Compared with our survey results, the student findings are at odds with clinicians’ expectations of students’ communication abilities. We conclude that additional training is required to familiarize students with expectations regarding telephone communication, including reviewing the case thoroughly, preparing to answer questions and provide explanations, following organizational protocol, and incorporating open ended questions, reflective listening, and empathy. This data will inform design, and help to measure the impact, of telephone communication education and training that will be incorporated into the existing veterinary communication curriculum. Full article
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15 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
The Dimensions of Pet-Owner Loyalty and the Relationship with Communication, Trust, Commitment and Perceived Value
by Bryan R. Brown
Vet. Sci. 2018, 5(4), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci5040095 - 06 Nov 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6519
Abstract
Loyalty is one of the greatest intangible assets that any organization can possess and improving client loyalty is a primary marketing goal that can have a significant financial impact on any business. This quantitative study examined the mediating role of communication on the [...] Read more.
Loyalty is one of the greatest intangible assets that any organization can possess and improving client loyalty is a primary marketing goal that can have a significant financial impact on any business. This quantitative study examined the mediating role of communication on the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty (attitudinal and behavioral) in veterinary clinics, along with the moderating roles of trust, commitment, perceived value, and relational characteristics. Responses collected from 351 pet-owners through social media were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that attitudinal loyalty (AL) has a strong positive relationship with communication at multiple points in a veterinary clinic, whereas the relationship with behavioral loyalty (BL) was not as clear. Additional findings suggest that AL, which is influenced by trust in the veterinarian, communication from staff members and commitment, has a strong positive relationship with behavioral intentions, increases the number of products and services that a pet-owner consumes at his or her primary veterinary clinic, and attenuates the role of cost in receiving veterinary care. These findings can help veterinary clinic owners and managers in developing and implementing relationship strategies that improve pet-owner loyalty. Full article
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