Frequency of interactions between veterinarians and other professionals to guide interprofessional education

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency with which veterinarians interact with individuals in other health professions and related fields of work. Four thousand members of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) were surveyed. Demographic information was collected, and participants were asked how frequently they interacted with members of various professions. General comments were solicited regarding which professions veterinarians should reach out to in order to enhance veterinary health care and which professions veterinarians could interact with to improve human health care. The overall response rate was 18.6%. Demographic information suggested that the sample was representative of the profession. Frequency of interactions ranged from never to regularly, but for no group or profession was frequent interaction the norm. For practitioners, interactions with pharmacists, both dispensing and compounding, and with drug company representatives were most common. For educators, interaction with pharmacists and drug company representatives was also high compared to other professions, and they were also more likely to interact with laboratory technicians and physicians. For those in industry, interactions with laboratory technicians, physicians, drug and food company representatives, and public health officials were most common. All other respondents described their most common interactions as being with public health officials. The veterinarians surveyed cited a need for greater interaction with physicians regarding zoonotic disease and parasitism. Veterinarians do not frequently interface with human health care professionals. Those with whom practitioners have the greatest interaction are pharmacists and representatives of drug companies. Greater interaction may benefit management of zoonotic disease and parasitism.