The Virtual Veterinary Care Association European Affiliate (VVCA-EA) is reassuring members of the profession that there is a growing forum for global discussion and information sharing with the dissemination of knowledge and experience regarding the provision of virtual care.
Following the review and approval of new guidance of under care by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) on January 19, mixed opinions have been voiced, including referencing the model of the Vet-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR), which in many countries can only be established through in-person examination of an animal. However, legalities around the VCPR vary greatly between individual countries and between different US states, with increasing numbers moving to allow a partial or total virtual VCPR.
VVCA-EA working group members and vets, Jessica May and Liz Barton, joined the recent VVCA board meeting at VMX in Orlando. Jessica says, “The VVCA was established in the US in 2020 to help advocate best practices, develop a community and share information, data and educational resources on the adoption of virtual care tools. It has always been the vision of the organisation to expand globally and foster worldwide collaboration… We now have a great opportunity to harness our collective understanding to organise and drive the conversation and provision of telehealth forward.”