Commentary
More content appears nearly every week on telemedicine. In animal health there is an organization, albeit relatively new, that has been organized to help define virtual care in animal health and frequently not referenced in published content.
That organization is the Veterinary Virtual Care Association < link > whose mission is to elevate the standard of veterinary care through the use of virtual tools.
The current digital landscape is populated by an increasingly disorganized array of practitioners, technology providers, terms, and allied partners without true consensus on how to move forward. The need for a cohesive, legal strategy for the accelerated adoption of veterinary virtual care is more important now than ever. < link >
The work of the VVCA is critical over the mid-term and long-term for virtual care to become a recognized as a legal standard of veterinary care for animals of all species.” – Kirk Augustine
With a rare position now taken, virtual care is commonly referred to as telemedicine reflecting a similar digital expansion in human medicine. However, virtual care for animal health encompasses telemedicine, telehealth, tele-triage and other clever nomenclature each of which may or may not fall into categories of legal purview.
It is still important that AHD curate and expose animal health pros to information about using digital access tools with animal owners. Three examples are shared here.
Source: What telemedicine can (and can’t) do for your dog or cat, Animal Wellness, July 17, 2020. Link.
Source: Veterinarians are turning to virtual visits to care for Fido, Fortune, July 18, 2020. Link.
Source: Vet visits are going virtual for pet care from the comfort of your phone, KTLA5, Los Angeles, July 20, 2020. Link. Video report and interview.
REMINDER: Attend the Veterinary Virtual Care Summit, August 18, 2020. Link.
Also see: Search results for: VVCA, Animal Health Digest. Link.