The terms telehealth and telemedicine are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct definitions.
According to the Health Resources and Services Administration:
Telehealth is a subset of e-health, encompassing the use of telecommunications technology for health care delivery, information, and education.
Telemedicine refers specifically to clinical services under the telehealth umbrella.
Both cover a range of services, including medical education, remote patient monitoring, consultations via videoconferencing, wireless health applications, and the transmission of imaging and medical reports.
Improvements in health care information technology, paired with the expansion of health care access, have driven the rapid growth of telehealth. This shift has enabled providers and patients to connect in ways that were once unimaginable. Originally developed to address the needs of rural and underserved populations, telehealth now plays a significant role across various medical specialties, offering convenience, efficiency, and improved patient outcomes. The transition from fee-for-service models to value-based care has further fueled its adoption.
Telehealth
The use of technology to remotely gather and deliver
health information, advice, education, and patient care.
Telehealth is divided into categories based on who is involved in the communication.
For communication between veterinarians and animal owners there are two important categories that are distinguished by whether a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) has been established.
Established VCPR Not Required
Teletriage: The safe, appropriate, and timely assessment and management (immediate referral to a veterinarian or not) of animal patients, under conditions of uncertainty and urgency, via electronic consultation with their owners. A diagnosis is not rendered, and a VCPR is not required.
Example: A veterinarian considers the owner’s report of history and clinical signs and views a video of a patient to determine whether immediate referral to a veterinarian is needed.
Teleadvice: Includes providing any health information, opinion, guidance that is not specific to an animal patient’s health, illness, or injury. This general advice is not intended to diagnose, prognose, or treat a patient’s (or group of patients’) physical or mental illness or injury. A VCPR is not required.
Example: Members of the veterinary healthcare team make general recommendations about the importance of regular examinations, vaccination, and parasite prevention.
Teleconsulting: Refers to a primary care veterinarian using telehealth tools to communicate with a veterinary specialist or other qualified expert to gain insights and advice on the care of a patient.
Example: A veterinarian communicates electronically with a veterinary orthopedic surgeon regarding an equine patient with a fetlock injury.
VCPR Required
Telemedicine: Uses telehealth tools to exchange information about a patient’s clinical health status electronically from one site to another. A VCPR is required.
Example: The veterinarian uses technology to communicate with a client and visually observe the patient during a post-operative follow-up examination and discussion.
Telecommunication
Telemonitoring (or remote monitoring): Uses digital technologies to collect and transmit health data from a patient in one location to the veterinarian in a different location for assessment and recommendations. Telemonitoring may be synchronous or asynchronous.
Example: A veterinarian evaluates glucose readings obtained from a wearable device affixed to a feline patient.
ePrescribing/eVFD: The electronic generation, transmission, and filling of a medical prescription or order. State and federal requirements, including those for prescribing controlled substances, apply.
Example: A veterinarian issues a Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) with an electronic signature that authorizes use of a VFD drug or combination VFD drug in an animal feed.
Tele-education: The application of information and communication technologies to distance learning.
Example: A veterinary technician provides basic house/behavioral training for clients who are new pet owners by means of a live or recorded webinar.
Recommended Reading
Veterinary telehealth: The basics (American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA)
Comments