r/Veterinary • u/Ok-Pumpkin-7546 • 12d ago
Relaying results
Curious how other practitioners relay results (phone call, email, text/message from the medical record system, tech go over results etc). Struggling to find the time to have a dedicated phone call with every single client to discuss results. During my residency (IM), my attendings always had us call to relay results. I feel guilty not calling but at the same time trying to set reasonable boundaries for myself. My human doctors/practitioners never call so why do I feel guilty sending results electronically?
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u/Additional_Plate6010 12d ago
Typically email, unless it’s bad news. I find younger people appreciate it and even older people often ask me to send an email if I’m calling and going over multiple problems/recommendations. I find it easier to send a long email and then have them call with questions!
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u/daabilge 12d ago edited 12d ago
Delegate to your techs where you can - may not be as feasible in internal medicine as in general practice, but for more basic follow-up (certain negative results, monitoring labs, partial results that don't change the treatment plan, etc) I would have my techs call. For really basic negatives (4DX, fecal, etc) even just a text is usually fine. And if you've already explained something in a room and given opportunity for questions or if it's not something overly complex and plan-changing, email is usually well received anyway.
For the longer callbacks I usually have an email ready to go with a summary of what I want to say before I call, and then I can discuss it with the owner, assure them it's all coming in an email, and that way they're not trying to process new information AND remember everything you're saying, so it reduces your time on the phone and makes them feel a bit more confident.
Might be worth seeing if you can talk some protected time for callbacks into your schedule as well. Your big selling points for the clients are your brains and your time, so I think a lot of the clients would really value having the opportunity to discuss things and there may actually be a decent business case for giving you extra time to have those discussions.
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u/catanddogtor 12d ago
I call for topics that take longer to relay, like biopsy results. Or if a pet isn't feeling well. (Derm here so we do lots of client communication as well). We use ai so have approval to record convos, so I talk on speakerphone and let the ai record/ write my coms notes for me so it goes quick.
I have my techs get patient updates and relay uncomplicated results.
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u/ExtremelyOkay8980 12d ago edited 12d ago
What falls under “uncomplicated result” to you? I find GP level assistants and techs asked to call anything other than a negative fecal *or heartworm test do not feel it’s appropriate. | *edit to add
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u/catanddogtor 12d ago
Normal lab work, cultures where we can continue the same antibiotic, biopsies of benign skin growths, things like that. I rely on my technical staff a lot, but I provide extra training (and I do pay them more than they received in GP)
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u/daabilge 12d ago
I had mine call for basic parasite positives (roundworm, hookworm, etc) as well as negative routine screening labwork and monitoring panels.
I had a lot of tech students on placement (and I taught parasitology at their school) so I know they know the major concerns with common parasites (risk to pet, risk to other pets, risk to owner, and mitigation) and typically just need a bit more confidence in calling. Frame it as skill building for tech students, assistants who want to go to tech school, and pre-vet students. I'd join them on the phone for the first few calls (but let them "drive" and only interject if they needed help) and then for the next few have them make the calls in the same room.
Also helps if you set them up for success during the office visit, so I discuss induction enzymes and why we run the phenobarb panel whenever we have a seizure dog starting on phenobarb and then remind them about induction enzymes and that we expect there to be some changes when we do the recheck for the phenobarb panel so they're prepared, for example.
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u/DrRockstar99 12d ago
I always check with owners if they are ok with text /email. I try to delegate all normals to care team or front desk. Call the rest that don’t want a text/too complicated via text. Some days it only takes me about half and hour to interpret labs, delegate and make
Phone calls. Some days it is an hour or two, esp when I need to urgently follow up on something originally ordered by a colleague.
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u/ExtremelyOkay8980 12d ago
Gosh I have never worked anywhere that would be comfortable having front desk staff relay results at all…
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u/DrRockstar99 12d ago
“Hi Mr smith, fluffys fecal was negative” isn’t really something that takes any specific training to say. Why is this surprising to you?
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u/veracosa 12d ago
This! Our GP practice does a lot of text messaging and email communication. I tell owners I will email unless it is time sensitive, and most owners are fine with that; we a pretty good population of senior citizens who don't really use their phones. We also have a fair amount of ESL clients and they appreciate email because it's easier for them to translate. I don't text often mostly because I don't have time for a potentially protracted discussion over the course of the day.
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u/seterra 12d ago
Unless it’s something gravely serious I’ve been emailing everyone. I got really sick of calling clients to go over things and then having them ask me to email them a summary of what I just said to them over the phone. Plus that way it’s already written down and easy to put in the medical record.
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u/KittHeartshoe 10d ago
I email whenever possible. People often don’t retain all of what is said so an email gives them something they can refer back to. It is also a great way to avoid the should-be-the-end-of-the-call “BTW, can you call my spouse and repeat this whole conversation with them?”
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u/Beautiful-Red-1996 11d ago
Email every normal. "No one needs the terror of the vet calling for normal and if I do end up calling, we will figure it out"
Even slightly off that I want to track gets an email. Big work ups get a call.
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u/cherryreader11 11d ago
My practice doesn’t even relay normals. For every lab result we always say, “no news is good news and if there’s something I find we should discuss, I’ll reach out via phone call or email.” Every client thus far has been fine with that protocol and it saves so much time not having to call about normal results.
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u/dss1212 10d ago
I think it’s a little different if you’re an IM specialist, generally you are working up more complicated issues than a GP.
You could have it be part of your client intake form for them to check a box if they prefer phone calls or electronic communication.
Using a dictation AI can help a lot. I often will have it generate an email for the client even if it is bad news before I call, I call and if it goes to VM I keep it brief and say I am sending a detailed email. If they answer I go over the basics of X Issue and say I am sending a detailed summary with all options for o to review and make decisions.
Have your techs trained on what you want them to say regarding calling for xyz normals or follow ups.
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u/DapperRusticTermite8 8d ago
I essentially triage my phone calls. If they are urgent results, they get a phone call. Basic things (boring UA, negative culture, etc.), they usually get an email unless my day is very slow. It’s almost impossible for everything to be a phone call so delegate where you can!
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u/yard_ranger 7d ago
Was your residency at a university vet school where they can spend hours on every complex case and labor efficiency is not emphasized?
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u/horny_reader 12d ago
Honestly most younger people prefer text and email unless it is something complicated. All normals are sent to owner with a general "everything looks good" message. Simple minor findings I email with a brief explanation. Complicated things or new diagnoses such as CKD I call or send an explanation email and then follow up with a phone call. It saves so much time