As I complete my mandatory continuing education to maintain my healthcare license, I encountered an eye-opening topic: the stark contrast between the ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น and the ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐-๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น in human healthcare.
This led me to reflect on how similar patterns are playing out in equine healthcare, highlighting the need for a shift in how we care for our horses.
The ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น, still prevalent in much of equine healthcare, places the professional in control. The health provider assesses symptoms, prescribes treatments, and expects compliance from the patient (or in this case, the horseโs owner). While this model may seem efficient, it leaves no room for the patientโs preferences or input. It is an outdated, top-down approach where decisions are made for the patient, not with them.
In stark contrast, the ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐-๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น โwhich I am required to follow as a licensed human healthcare provider in BC, Canada โ focuses on collaborative decision-making. This model respects the patientโs needs, preferences, and values. Care is designed with the patientโs input, ensuring a more personalized and responsive approach to health.
It made me think: if human healthcare has moved away from this archaic model, why is equine care still so rooted in it? Shouldnโt our horses deserve the same respect, empathy, and collaborative care that humans do?
Itโs time to challenge the status quo in equine medical care. If we are required to maintain modern, patient-centered practices as licensed human healthcare professionals, why should equine professionals be any different? This isn't just a matter of preferenceโit's about ethics, respect, and the evolution of care.
Itโs time for change. A movement toward equine care that truly considers the horse as an active participant, with treatment that reflects their individual needs, behaviors, and feedback.
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