Remote evaluation of horses (i.e. equine telemedicine) is a fairly new concept in our industry. The COVID-19 pandemic engendered a dramatic expansion in the implementation of this modality by veterinary practices worldwide.

At The ATLANTA EQUINE Clinic, we work very hard to provide the best telemedical service available. Our primary goal is to provide valuable and prompt guidance to help you make smart and timely decisions concerning the health and soundness of your horses. At the same time, we want our clients to feel as though they received exceptional service at modest expense.

Our telemedical fees are based on a number of factors, most notably the following (in order of influence):

• The Nature of the Consultation

Some consultations require less time and energy to complete due to current or previous familiarity with the horse and/or the problem. For instance, a post-appointment recheck will generally progress rather quickly compared to evaluation of a horse with an entirely new issue.

Comprehensive prepurchase assessments, on the other hand, often span over multiple days or weeks, because we typically evaluate a multitude of diverse materials (such as photos, videos, diagnostic images, veterinary reports, blood work results, etc.) as each becomes available throughout the course of the process. Accordingly, deliberation is far more convoluted and tedious, thereby incurring increased expense.

In the vast majority of cases, the amount quoted for an individual consultation service (listed below) will reflect the final total of the corresponding invoice. The cost may increase, however, if an extraordinary amount of time is required to complete the service, our reporting is time-sensitive, and/or if electronic filing of related materials becomes especially cumbersome (see below).

• The Amount of Time (Cumulative) That is Required to Complete the Service

Some cases demand increased discussion, dialogue with other veterinary practices, farriers, and trainers, referral of specific materials to specialists for further review, or serial evaluation of additional (ever-emerging) materials.

We allot an approximate time-frame within which to complete each service. If a significant amount of time beyond what is anticipated is required to satisfy our responsibility, additional fees may be applied proportionately. Of course we will do our best to notify you if and when this may occur.

• The Level of Urgency

Many consultations are time-sensitive, particularly if they involve a life-threatening condition or prepurchase deadline. Our clients may submit a request-for-review at any time, but those evaluations that must be performed on Sundays and/or holidays may be subject to an additional charge of $75.

• Electronic Record Filing and Management

All elements submitted with each consultation must be stored securely and indefinitely as per current veterinary medical regulations. This task can entail an inordinate amount of energy, time, and digital storage space depending on the circumstances and mode of submission.

In most cases, electronic filing of records takes 30-45 minutes to complete. This interval can stretch to two to three times that period in some instances, thereby generating an increased associated expense.

We should note that certain modes of submission can complicate appropriate record-keeping as compared to other modes. For instance, GetSound® automatically organizes and files all telemedical records, thereby negating the need for our staff to perform this task. By contrast, we have to manually download, process, and file each item submitted via WhatsApp® or Google Drive.