The Practice of

Veterinary Telehealth

The Appropriate Sharing of Remote Medical Opinion
Definitions

TELEHEALTH refers to the overarching term that encompasses all uses of technology geared to remotely deliver health information, education, or care.

 

TELEMEDICINE is a subcategory of telehealth and refers to a tool, or use of a tool, to augment the practice of veterinary medicine. A phone app which enables the visual assessment of an animal as part of the communication between a professional and client is an example.

 

TELECONSULTING is a subcategory of telehealth that occurs when a primary (local) veterinarian utilizes telehealth tools to communicate with a second (remote) veterinarian for the purpose of gaining insights and advice regarding the medical care of a specific patient.

Objectives

The primary objectives of a successful telemedical service are two-fold:

 

  • To give equestrians what they want with respect to instant professional guidance, and
  • To provide veterinary professionals with a platform that enables the convenient, ethical and legal practice of veterinary medicine.
"Telemedicine is not intended to replace regular on-site and hands-on examination of your horse. Rather, it is intended to replace the absence of any examination."
Bob Grisel, DVM
Founder & CEO, The ATLANTA EQUINE Clinic
The Practice of Medicine

Anytime a veterinarian provides an opinion regarding a specific animal (no matter how casual that opinion may be) he/ she is practicing medicine. Providing a veterinary medical opinion from a remote location is the practice of telemedicine. Appropriately, the rules and regulations that govern veterinary medicine also govern veterinary telemedicine.

 

See the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) policy on the practice of veterinary telemedicine.

Telemedical Records

Your veterinarian is required by law to maintain comprehensive, clear and concise records associated with each and every facet of all telemedical communications. A telemedical consultation make only take a few minutes, but your veterinarian must satisfy an entire checklist of “have to’s” that accompany that consultation.

 

All related records and consultation materials must maintained permanently, securely, and off-site. Organizing and preserving records can be a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, which is why most practices charge a fee for this service.

Our ability to provide instant and professional guidance on a regular basis helps to keep our equine patients healthy and sound. It also helps to keep you in the saddle on a consistent basis.

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