Curbside care and telehealth: New resources for AVMA members

Many veterinary practices adopted curbside care during the pandemic to keep teams and clients safe. It’s worked so well for some that they’re planning to continue offering it as a regular service even after COVID-19. How have they done it?

A new AVMA resource – Making curbside care efficient – was developed in collaboration with Anipanion and compiles tips from these practices that you can implement to optimize curbside care, making it more efficient and beneficial for your practice, team, clients, and patients.

Examples include:

• Sending patient information forms to clients before their appointment
• Checking in clients digitally from the parking lot
• Using a telehealth platform or video app in the exam room to include clients in the visit
• Integrating telehealth tools with your practice management system to reduce phone calls and create a more seamless experience

The new resource also includes a sample workflow that shows what curbside care might look like in your practice when used in tandem with telehealth. The workflow follows each step—from the time a client reaches out to the practice until the patient is seen by a veterinarian and delivered back to the owner—and outlines how telehealth tools can be used to streamline communication, provide better documentation, reduce phone calls, more appropriately engage members of the practice team, improve the client experience, and enhance overall practice efficiency.

This free resource is available by visiting AVMA’s COVID-19 Resource Center.

Watch on demand: Real-world use of AVMA’s telehealth guidelines

Looking to introduce or expand telehealth in your practice? The on-demand webinar Telehealth: Real-world use of AVMA’s guidelines can help. Gain an overview of the laws and regulations pertaining to the delivery of veterinary telehealth services, examine potential uses of telehealth, and learn how to monetize telehealth visits. Explore the many options to consider when delivering telehealth services, including synchronous vs. asynchronous interactions, third-party platforms vs. web apps, and workspace tweaks that can simplify telehealth in practice.

The webinar is presented by Dr. Lori Teller, AVMA’s 2021-2022 president-elect, and is available to all veterinary team members on AVMA Axon. It offers 1 hour of continuing education (CE) credit and is free for AVMA and Student AVMA (SAVMA) members. It costs $25 for non-members.

For more information and guidance on how to implement telehealth in your practice, head over to AVMA’s Telehealth Resource Center.