Sometimes a huge gap exists between what a veterinarian tells a client and what the client actually hears. Most practices don't realize these communication gaps even exist!

We know this because a white paper was recently published that covers a five-year span of healthcare teams and owners participating in the survey. The white paper, titled “The Opportunity,” offers an exclusive, online, easy-to-use survey tool, also called The Opportunity, that is designed to give practices a customized insight into the communication gaps between clients and their healthcare team regarding preventive healthcare.

The paper includes comprehensive data analysis and encourages practices to look in the mirror and sign up for the survey to identify their practices' communication gaps. Then, practices are encouraged to develop a team member into their “practice champion” using the Champion’s Workbook (offered by Veterinary Hospital Managers Association and National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America) to have their practice utilize the gap-closing Partners for Healthy Pets (PHP) tools available on the PHP website.

PHP, an alliance of more than 100 veterinary associations, veterinary colleges, and animal health companies focused on preventive care and led by AAHA and the American Veterinary Medical Association, is offering free, downloadable tools to help your practice incorporate preventive care as a key component in improving the lives of your patients and their owners.

Communication gaps exist in all practices, even the ones that provide the highest-quality medicine and exceptional client service. How can they be fixed? Take the first step by reading the white paper, which includes the study’s data analysis and information on how to use the survey. The paper also showcases gap-closing tools available from PHP and includes next steps for practices via the Champion’s Workbook. You can read about it in the February issue of AAHA’s Trends magazine. Don’t miss it!

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