This is the sixth in my series on telemedicine platforms serving the veterinary profession which appeared on the VetPartners.org website.  This month I’m taking a slight detour.  Instead of introducing one of the many software services, I want to describe a new organization that brings together all of the platform providers, users, would-be users, and even nay-sayers interested in learning more about this emerging service.

The Veterinary Virtual Case Association

Ali McIntyre, the Executive Director for this new organization, told me that she and Mark Cushing, JD worked together for over 10 years, originally in a law firm and later in the Animal Policy Group.  Mark and the former CEO of NAVC conceived of the idea for a veterinary telemedicine association in 2015 and launched the Veterinary Innovation Council to promote telemedicine. They did not, however, feel the time was right for a separate trade association. When the Covid-19 hit, Ali, Mark, and industry leaders knew that the need for telemedicine information had arrived.

At that time, Mark and a colleague, Audrey Wystrach, DVM, assembled a board of experts in the telemedicine space and formally launched the Veterinary Virtual Care Association on May 1, 2020.  The first order of business for the new board was to organize a virtual conference in order to share the growing body of information. The Veterinary Virtual Care Summit was broadcast (virtually, of course) on August 18 of this year. You can watch all of their content on-demand, for free at wwww.virtualcaresummit.vet.

As you will read on their website (vvca.org),

The Veterinary Virtual Care Association is a global, nonprofit association dedicated to developing best practices for delivering virtual care for animals, defining quality standards and protocols for practicing virtual care, sharing experiences among practice teams, engaging with virtual care providers and advocating for policies in support of quality virtual care.

The Need is There

Ali and VVCA board members have heard lots of stories from service providers and users who confirm the need for this kind of association.  Whether it’s veterinarians or farmers or pet owners, each want to know how virtual service might work.  When someone becomes concerned and asks, “Why are my dog’s gums a different color?” the answer is best provided by a qualified veterinarian who knows the animal.  A telemedicine exchange is simple and might prevent a lot of worry, unnecessary travel to the veterinarian, or instant advice for action – far safer than Dr. Google.  This organization will facilitate growth in the use of telemedicine and virtual care tools to elevate the standard of care in veterinary medicine.

Directory of Providers

One of the wonderful features of the VVCA website is the directory of telemedicine providers – which we are introducing one-by-one in these blogs.  You’ll find an overview of their services and convenient contact information.

Quick Start Guide

Given all this information, how does a newcomer know where to start, I asked?  Ali told me that the organization will remain “impartial” when it comes to advocating for a particular service provider, but it does provide on the website a “Quick Start Guide.” That is a big help in determining where to start.

Networking

Another great service which is in the planning stage is an opportunity to network. Knowing how much people need to know (and how much great experience many already have), the organization is planning to build a members’ network to connect peers and experts.  This planned website service will also enable members to connect by state or region, to share understandings of state regulations related to VCPR (Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship).

VVCA is an organization whose time has come!