As we all get used to the idea of social distancing, telemedicine might be an idea whose time has come. It can keep your clients engaged with their pets’ health care and remotely deliver your patients’ clinical health status when office visits cannot be scheduled. It can also and help you provide:
- Answers to general health/medical questions.
- Help with behavioral issues.
- Basic follow-up visits.
- Expanded office hours.
Telemedicine offers digital tools that adapt pet health care to the electronics we use every day. You may already be sending clients texts or using Skype or Facetime to observe your patients. With several mobile apps on the market today, this may be a good time to evaluate the possibility of using them in your practice.
What to look for in a telemedicine app
Look for an app that best meets the needs of your practice and your clients. Some things to consider:
- Is it designed specifically for health care professionals?
- Does it allow clients to text, call, and send photos or videos of their pets?
- Does it offer a library of educational materials that can be sent to clients as needed?
- Is it accessible via smartphone as well as desktop? And is it compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems?
- Does it let you set pricing for the services you offer?
- Does it allow for multiple clinic users so that team members can answer basic questions?
- Can it integrate directly with your electronic health records system?
- Does it have real-time video calling capabilities?
- Does it offer excellent customer support?
Keep in mind that most states require a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to diagnose, prescribe medication, or otherwise treat an animal via telemedicine.
Telemedicine Recommendations
BI – BI is offering its telemedicine service, PetPro Connect for free to all US customers.
Please reach out to your BI territory manager to enroll and schedule a demo today.
Petriage – They are here to help you provide excellent care for your patients. Their vet-validated Petriage Analysis tool, paired with a Petriage clinic partnership, helps you extend your business, deepen client relationships, and improve patient outcomes by providing more-connected care.
Visit petriage.com for additional information. Mention you’re a member of PSIvet and receive exclusive discounts on each tier of services.
VetSource/TeleVet – The online pharmacy VetSource has partnered with TeleVet, a remote vet care app to offer virtual appointments and follow-up care to pet owners as well as online ordering and home delivery of medications, prescription foods, and other pet supplies.
Vetster – An innovative pet wellness platform that connects pet parents to a marketplace of licensed veterinary professionals for video, chat, and phone-enabled appointments. For everyone, anytime, day or night.