Christopher J. Allen, DVM, JD, discusses the challenges of using non-face-to-face interactions in veterinary medicine. He calls the various segments of teledoctors a confusing jungle of legal fact, opinion and outright speculation. For each segment, primary concerns fall into three general categories: 1) malpractice liability, 2) licensing and 3) criminal culpability.
Source: Veterinary Economics, August 17, 2019. Link. Obvious questions about defining VCPR and consulting across state lines without a license in the state of the animal’s residence has Allen concerned and cautious.
While regulators gear up to handle the complex questions raised by veterinary telemedicine, I counsel caution on the part of veterinarians.
INSIGHTS: Long before the VFD implementation in the food animal segment, considerable OTC business was conducted in legal gray areas. These methods became generally accepted practices. Now, as the companion animal business rapidly shifts toward non-traditional sources, I wonder if government regulators and veterinary boards will define the veterinary role and malpractice guidelines fast enough. Concurrently, companies must consider class of trade practices in multi-step channel sources.