College Connection | Fall 2026
Practising Spectrum of Care: Tools and tips
College Connection | Fall 2026
Practising Spectrum of Care: Tools and tips
In veterinary medicine, many clinical cases have multiple acceptable options for treatment or management that meet the standard of care. Of these options, the most technically advanced or‘ best’ option for care is often referred to as the“ gold standard”. However, as the most advanced option, the gold standard is also usually the most intensive and is not always feasible for a given client, patient, or their situation. One client cannot afford radioactive iodine therapy for their cat’ s hyperthyroidism; another doesn’ t have reliable transportation to a cardiologist for an echocardiogram; another is a caregiver for an elderly parent and doesn’ t have the capacity to manage rehabilitation following orthopedic surgery.
Adapted from: Coe JB, Janke N, Gray C, Serlin R. Clinical communication tools for contextualizing Spectrum of Care. Advances in Small Animal Care. 2025. 10.1016 / j. yasa. 2025.06.013
Abigayle J. Partington MSc, Jason B. Coe DVM, PhD
Within the veterinary profession, there is a growing recognition that the clinical decisions made for any given patient cannot be separated from the social contexts surrounding that patient and client. This recognition has offered a new perspective on providing treatment, which is referred to as‘ Spectrum of Care’ 1.
Presenting a Spectrum of Care to clients involves offering a variety of medically appropriate, evidence-based treatment options that consider the medical needs of the patient as well as the social, environmental, and financial factors in the client’ s and patient’ s lives.
Research has shown that clients generally prefer to collaborate with their veterinarian to identify the best possible treatment option for their pet 2. This collaboration between a veterinary professional and a client is referred to as shared decisionmaking( SDM). When using SDM, the veterinary professional and the client work together to discuss medically and personally relevant information and arrive at a shared decision together.
This relevant information includes:
Information about the patient
• Previous medical history, behaviour, current health status
Information about the client
• Values, beliefs, relationship with their pet, finances, physical abilities, past veterinary experiences
Information about the patient’ s and client’ s situation
• Home environment, other family members
Gathering all of this information from a client better positions a veterinary professional to actively engage the client in their pet’ s health and to decide upon a treatment option that is adapted to their needs and their pet’ s needs.
By promoting open communication and SDM, veterinary professionals can provide more personalized and effective care. To assist with practising SDM in the examination room, a three-talk model has been proposed for veterinary professionals 3, which involves:
Team talk
Get to know and work together with the client and any family members at the appointment, ask about their goals for their pet’ s health, and offer support.
“ Let’ s work as a team to make a decision that suits you and Fido best.”
Option talk
Discuss alternative treatment options with the client, including the advantages, disadvantages, and costs associated with each one.
“ Let’ s compare the possible options for managing Fido’ s osteoarthritis.”
Decision talk
Understand the client’ s informed preferences and arrive at a shared decision best suited to the client, patient, and their situation.
“ Tell me what matters most to you when making this decision for Fido’ s treatment.”
At the core of this conversation, the veterinary professional should always be engaged, paying close attention to the client, and offering them ample time and information to carefully think through all of the options. By coming to a mutually agreed-upon decision, the client has been an active participant
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