ABSTRACT
The scheduling of routine updates and opportunities for communication during a study is common sense and a Communication Plan is a study document that may be created to outline expectations for communication. Informal communication serves the purpose of keeping lines of communication open and keeping team members and investigators quickly informed of new developments or works in progress. Communication in a veterinarian–client relationship differs from that of the human physician–patient relationship in that the communication is, of course, not directed at the actual patient, but to the patient’s decision maker. A veterinarian’s ultimate goal is to provide his or her patient with the best quality of life, while communicating with pet owner regarding how clinical trial plans can inform a diagnosis and/or treat a particular condition. Recognition of intertwining nature of health, disease and all the people involved makes communication more important than ever. The ultimate goal being that multiple and sometimes disparate parties can benefit by participating in research.
