How Is Good Communication Good for Business?

Good communication impacts our business in myriad ways, says Linda Fineman, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), director of veterinary talent and knowledge strategy at Ethos Veterinary Health.

One way good communication is good for business is for getting the correct diagnosis for veterinary patients. If the veterinarian doesn't communicate well, they may not get the information they need from the client to get that correct diagnosis, Dr. Fineman says. You have to build that partnership with the client to be able to come together as a team — with a relationship-centered communication style — so the client feels heard, acknowledged and that their perspectives and concerns were taken into consideration when you made the recommendation, she says.

It's also been shown that medical errors increase when communication is poor or when there's compassion fatigue or burnout on the team — which is also tied to poor communication.