In the Literature
Lee S, Boone G, Bidgoli A, Di Bernardo J, Moody CM. US cat caregivers’ attitudes on veterinary video telemedicine. J Feline Med Surg. 2024;26(8):1098612X241249623. doi:10.1177/1098612X241249623
The Research …
Telemedicine facilitates remote medical evaluations and treatment recommendations and has become an integral component of human medicine since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.1 Use in veterinary medicine has been less widespread, but recent studies have explored client and clinician perspectives on telemedicine compared with in-clinic care.
A study investigating opinions about a veterinary telemedicine website found that clients perceived an enhanced level of information and improved communication with the clinician during telemedicine appointments. Notably, 60% of cases resulted in a recommendation for follow-up with the primary clinician, with 68.8% of clients adhering to this recommendation.2 A different study assessed the experiences of veterinary professionals (ie, surgeons, technicians) and clients with feline telemedicine appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phone consultations were reported as the most prevalent method of telemedicine communication, followed by video and/or photo-sharing consultations. The primary reason for using telemedicine was to monitor ongoing health issues. Other common reasons included addressing new, nonemergent health concerns, seeking veterinary advice, and obtaining prescription refills. A majority of respondents indicated belief that telemedicine is advantageous. Key benefits included reduced stress for patients and clinician ability to observe and evaluate behaviors in the home.3
The current study investigated cat owner (n = 1,254) perspectives on video telemedicine (defined as remote provision of health or behavior care using video conferencing). A questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms and included demographics, in-clinic experiences and opinions, telemedicine experiences and opinions, comparative analysis of in-clinic appointments versus telemedicine appointments, and an open-ended comment section. Respondents were mostly women in middle- to upper-socioeconomic strata living in suburban areas with no dependents. The majority of respondents indicated reduced stress levels for themselves and their cats during telemedicine appointments compared with in-clinic examinations.
… The Takeaways
Key pearls to put into practice:
Telemedicine is a viable option, especially for evaluation of feline dermatologic and behavior conditions; however, in-clinic evaluations may be preferable for other health concerns.
Telemedicine appointments are perceived to be less stressful for cats and clients compared with in-clinic examinations.
Based on client perceptions, telemedicine appointments may enhance access to veterinary care for feline patients.
You are reading 2-Minute Takeaways, a research summary resource presented by Clinician’s Brief. Clinician’s Brief does not conduct primary research.