Telemedicine has been around in human and veterinary medicine for decades, but recently grew in popularity in the veterinary field thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you needed a veterinary appointment during COVID, you probably remember how difficult it was to get one. Then once you got to the clinic, most practices asked you to remain in your vehicle while your pet was taken inside. You often spoke with the veterinarian only over the phone. How nice would it have been if this could have all been done in the comfort of your own home?
“Veterinary telemedicine had already taken off in parts of Canada and Europe prior to COVID,” says Brad Burrington, DVM, a 1987 Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate, small animal practitioner in Vermont, and one of the earliest members of the Veterinary Virtual Care Association founded in 2020. “That said, COVID provided an incentive to embrace this newer technology. Additionally, the advent of Zoom and other video call apps that became popular during COVID helped make the delivery of telemedicine easier.”
During the pandemic, pet ownership skyrocketed, and vet staff shortages abounded across the country. As a result, the demand for veterinary services far exceeded the industry’s ability to meet these demands in a timely fashion. Telemedicine enables veterinary teams to provide quality care for more pets, some of which might otherwise receive delayed care or no care at all.
Not a Replacement
Telemedicine is not a replacement for in-person veterinary visits, but it can provide helpful information and meaningful veterinary guidance in many cases. Implemented properly, telemedicine expands the reach of the veterinarian, potentially helping people with pets in remote areas whose access to in-person veterinary care is geographically limited, or those with limited financial means who can’t afford the higher prices associated with in-person care. When appropriately utilized, telemedicine ensures the welfare of the animal without diminishing the integrity of the veterinary profession.
There are rules that apply to telemedicine that both the pet owner and veterinary provider must be aware of, agree to, and abide by. The most important of these concerns the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR). To establish a valid VCPR at this time, your veterinarian will likely need to see your kitty in person within a reasonable timeframe to provide telemedicine services.
“The rules pertaining to the establishment of the VCPR differ from state-to-state, and those rules are changing rapidly,” says Dr. Burrington. “Many states that previously had an outright ban on any prescribing without physically touching a pet now allow treatment to be performed after establishing a virtual VCPR.”
An established VCPR is especially important when the purpose of the telemedicine visit is to treat a condition, as opposed to just offering advice or guidance. Guidance-oriented telemedicine, called teletriage or teleadvice, is often used to assess the severity of a pet’s condition and to provide guidance to the pet owner regarding whether, for example, an immediate trip to a veterinary emergency facility is warranted or it would be OK to wait to schedule an appointment with their regular veterinarian. The goal of treatment-oriented telemedicine, on the other hand, is to assess, diagnose, and ultimately treat conditions.
Your veterinarian may provide telemedicine services simply via FaceTime or Zoom, or they may use an app specifically designed to facilitate veterinary telemedicine. “These apps often integrate history questions that can be added to the medical record, a location to upload previous medical records, pictures or videos, a scheduling portal, and, if indicated, a method for prescribing,” says Dr. Burrington. “All of the data is maintained in a medical record so the system can comply with state regulations for that important tenant in the practice act of each state.”
Preparation
When considering a veterinary telemedicine visit, you must be prepared and know what your goals are. “If all you need is advice, this can be done over the phone or in a text chat,” says Dr. Burrington. “If you are hoping for treatment, a video call is needed. Having a good high-speed connection is extremely helpful.”
Before the visit, get set up with your cat in a quiet, well-lit area with no backlighting and where interruptions are unlikely. Be prepared to answer questions regarding your cat’s medical history, both for the current problem and any other medical issues he or she has had in the past. Have a list of any prior diagnoses and all medications your cat currently takes handy.
“Make sure your cat can’t get up and leave the visit (a harness and leash may help). The telemedicine provider will have difficulty making an assessment while watching a high-speed chase around your house,” says Dr. Burrington. “If medical therapy is warranted, you should have an idea of where your preferred pharmacy is located. Some telemedicine providers will have their own pharmacy, but you can request that prescriptions be sent to your preferred location.”
“I think the future will see large increases in the use of veterinary telemedicine,” says Dr. Burrington. “Telemedicine will cater to two different markets in particular: those looking for a more affordable option than brick-and-mortar care with its higher price point and those looking for a more convenient option.”
Telemedicine offers an avenue to increase access to on-demand, quality veterinary care for pet owners. As this practice continues to grow within the currently overstretched veterinary industry, more pets can and will receive the care they need when they need it. This should be considered a win-win for all.
