Telemedicine and COVID-19: Where do we begin?

Technology has become a big player in veterinary medicine in recent weeks. "It's become essential" in the face of COVID-19, says Dr. DeWilde, DVM, creator of The Social DVM and board member for the Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation. "I don't think anybody has an option anymore." In fact, she says, not utilizing available technology could become a dealbreaker for veterinary businesses.

Stacee Santi, DVM, president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association and CEO of Vet2Pet, agrees. "We're just going to have to jump now," she says. "But we've been training for this or whole lives. We can do it!"

Kathryn Primm, DVM, CVPM, who practices at Applebrook Animal Hospital in Ooltewah, Tennessee and hosts shows on PetLife Radio, also concurs. Her practice has been paperless for years, and her team can easily access hospital records remotely. "I can't imagine trying to navigate this particular issue without being able to do that," she says.

Many veterinary practices were well prepared for the need to really ramp up the use of technology in order to keep their practices running during this pandemic, but many weren't. That's why dvm360's Chief Veterinary Officer Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, got together (virtually, of course) with these three veterinarians to talk about past, current and future technology trends in veterinary practice as well as some keys to implementing technology successfully, including:

• Assessing your true practice needs and the technology options available
• Where to turn for advice and information about implementing technology
• Why team buy-in and ongoing staff communication are so important when making large, sweeping changes in your practice
• How to project confidence, calmness and professionalism when using telemedicine

To learn more, watch the video below. And look for more discussions with these experts to come!