Most veterinarians recognize the bond their clients have with their horses. In many cases, they consider their horses family members, a designation that has steadily increased over the past two decades, according to the AVMA’s Pet Ownership and Demographic survey results. This emotional relationship often means clients want answers 24/7/365 when they have concerns about their animals. While this expectation often positively results in a strong demand for veterinary services, it also causes many veterinarians to be “always on,” which erodes their well-being over time.
Managing Client Expectations in Equine Practice
Controlling client access to a practice’s veterinarians is best when it is intentional, planned, and equitable. Traditional practices have often expected veterinarians to share their personal cellphone numbers with clients, answer all client questions immediately (even during vacations), and promptly meet even nonemergent client needs. Unfortunately, this approach has trained many clients to feel disappointed if they cannot reach their preferred veterinarian at any given moment.
With the current shortage of new equine veterinarians, changing this dynamic is important. Larger multidoctor practices need to let clients know that while a veterinarian on the team will always be available, it might not be their preferred doctor. The same is true in solo or small practices, where colleagues often provide relief for each other during conferences, vacations, maternity leaves, and important family events or share emergency duties within a multipractice cooperative.
Helping clients understand and support new realities begins with educating them well in advance. Through thoughtful communication, your practice can inform horse owners about what to expect with regard to reaching their preferred doctor, receiving emergency services, and having routine questions answered. Sharing the struggles to attract and retain equine practitioners with the public has been helpful in changing expectations and behavior. Most horse owners value their veterinarians and care about their well-being. When they know how to best support them, typically they comply. When clients behave in an entitled and demanding manner, sometimes they simply don’t understand the work life of veterinarians. Begin by explaining the reasons behind the boundaries you set before taking punitive actions.
Examples of Boundaries for Equine Practitioners
Common boundaries veterinarians set with clients include not answering routine texts or phone calls after hours, not accepting a request for add-on services at a farm call if time does not allow, and not doing routine calls on weekends. For doctors on call, boundaries might include requiring clients to leave a message with the nature of the emergency as well as the geographic location so they have time to assess the client-in-good-standing or nonclient status before engaging in conversation. This way, the practice can send notice of overdue accounts or make a decision about treating a nonclient prior to calling them back. In some areas, veterinarians refuse to attend emergencies for nonclients for personal safety reasons.
Final Thoughts
Boundaries help veterinarians have some modicum of control over their time and energy. A lack of boundaries often leads to feeling resentful, overwhelmed, unappreciated, or burned out. Carefully consider what boundaries you need to thrive in practice, communicate them clearly, and begin to move away from your “always on” mode.
Related Reading
- Business Briefs: Managing Dissatisfied Clients in Equine Practice
- The Art of Saying No: How Veterinarians Can Set Boundaries
- Managing Difficult Clients and Difficult Expectations in Equine Practice
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