Perceptions of Veterinarians and Veterinary Students on What Risk Factors Constitute Medical Disputes and Comparisons between 2014 and 2022

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This study investigated the risk factors for medical disputes in the veterinary profession in Taiwan. The research aimed to compare the perceptions of veterinarians and veterinary students and to examine any differences between two surveys conducted in 2014 and 2022. Online validity-tested questionnaires were used to collect data, with 106 (73 veterinarians and 33 students) and 157 (126 veterinarians and 31 students) surveys collected in 2014 and 2022, respectively. The study found that the main causes of medical disputes were poor communication and complaints management, rather than the quality of veterinary care provided. The study also revealed a difference in perceptions between experienced veterinarians and veterinary students, with the latter considering medical skills and clients’ perspectives to be the primary risk factors. However, both groups identified attitudes during interactions and complaint management as key issues. The authors suggest that veterinary education should provide students with more practical experience in medical disputes and complaint management to help bridge the gap in perception between experienced veterinarians and veterinary students. Results from this study have important implications for improving the quality of veterinary care, reducing the risk of medical disputes, and promoting the continuing education of veterinary professionals. ABSTRACT: This study compared the risk perceptions of medical disputes among veterinarians and veterinary students in Taiwan between 2014 and 2022. Online validity-tested questionnaires were used to collect data, with 106 (73 veterinarians and 33 students) and 157 (126 veterinarians and 31 students) surveys collected in 2014 and 2022, respectively. Respondents would be asked to rate their perceptions on how likely each risk factor constitutes a medical dispute according to their past experiences on a five-point Likert scale from 1 to 5: “Very unlikely, unlikely, neutral, likely, very likely.” The results showed that overall risk perceptions increased significantly in 2022 compared to 2014, with the top risk factors being attitudes during interactions and complaint management among experienced veterinarians. In contrast, students considered medical skills and clients’ perspectives as the top two risk factors, with complaints management ranking as the least significant factor. The findings suggest that effective communication and complaint management are crucial in preventing medical disputes, highlighting the importance of developing these skills in young veterinarians and veterinary students to reduce medical disputes. The study also recommends increasing practical experiences of medical disputes and complaint management in veterinary education to bridge the gap between the perceptions of experienced veterinarians and students.