AVMA guidelines support telehealth use by veterinary practices

A new best-of-breed resource gives veterinary practices a step-by-step guide to implement and expand telehealth services. Introducing: AVMA Guidelines for the Use of Telehealth in Veterinary Practice.

This practical handbook is a hands-on reference for veterinary teams, providing a one-source reference with critical information to make telehealth, in its variety of forms, more successful for patients, clients, and practices:

• Definitions of the key components of the telehealth landscape
• Context around federal and state regulations and legal considerations, including the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR)
• Sample practice workflow
• Technological and workspace considerations
• How to engage the practice team and clients in ways that support effective service delivery, including marketing new services
• Pricing strategies

Download guidelines

Connected care

The guidelines address telehealth within the concept of “connected care.” This refers to the use and integration of digital technologies “to enhance and support the veterinarian-client-patient relationship and facilitate proactive and ongoing care through improved communication, diagnosis and monitoring.”

It’s an approach to veterinary practice that is patient- and client-centered and actively engages the entire veterinary healthcare team.

AVMA telehealth resource center

The guidelines are available for all veterinary professionals to download from the AVMA telehealth resource center. AVMA members and others who subscribe to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) also will receive a printed copy with their February 1, 2021, journal.

Go to avma.org/Telehealth to see the guidelines and explore other tools and resources that support better patient care, enhance your relationships with clients, improve staff utilization, and help your practice stay competitive through the use of telehealth.