Professional Documents
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY V
Telemedicine—Creating the
Virtual Veterinary Hospital
ians or specialists, thereby providing tioners can now transmit ECGs, ra-
T. Arch Robertson, DVM better health care in a cost-effective diographs, echocardiograms, labora-
VETMED Consultants way. Communication is accom- tory data, and video images for evalu-
Phoenix, Arizona plished by digitizing and compress- ation. Because all of this medical
ing medical data (e.g., radiographs, information is being bundled togeth-
ultrasonograms, photographs, and er, specialists can deliver a more
H
ave you ever wanted a reli- cytologic images) into the hard drive accurate prognosis, diagnosis, and
able second opinion on chest of a computer for archival (store) or therapeutic plan. The end result is
radiographs of a coughing pa- transmission (forward) purposes. The enhanced access to quality care.
tient to assist your evaluation before images are stored within computer
prescribing therapy or referring the files so they can be subsequently Usefulness
patient to a specialist? Have you peered viewed by or shared with colleagues The veterinary profession, especial-
through a microscope at a cytologic or specialists. Applications are as ly in rural areas, has historically ig-
sample confident of the diagnosis simple as telephone consultations or nored professional and physical isola-
but not 100% sure? Would it not be as elaborate as interactive consulta- tion of general practitioners from
ideal to have the slide of that sample tions. colleagues and specialists. Most veteri-
reviewed by a board-certified cy- nary hospitals are one- to two-doctor
topathologist to confirm your diag- The Early Days practices, which can lead to inade-
nosis? How could such consultations Veterinary telemedicine essentially quate access to veterinary informa-
change the quality of medicine in started in 1980 when Dr. Larry tion or knowledge of up-to-date prac-
your practice? Tilley presented the idea of using a tices and can be a barrier to optimum
Telemedicine can help veterinari- transtelephonic electrocardiogram care as well as professional satisfac-
ans tackle these daily dilemmas and (ECG) transmitter to connect veteri- tion. Two information networks (Vet-
practice veterinary medicine at a high- narians nationwide to The Animal erinary Information Network [VIN]
er level than previously possible. Ac- Medical Center in New York; the and Network of Animal Health
cessing veterinary specialists for case idea eventually evolved into Car- [NOAH]) help in the education pro-
consultations is possible through diopet. By connecting a simple de- cess but do not yet have the ability to
telephone line transmission or email. vice to a patient, an ECG could be accommodate interactive monitoring
More and more specialists are be- transmitted over ordinary telephone of patient evaluations while they are
coming involved with telemedicine lines and displayed on a monitor in progress.
(Table One) as an effective method thousands of miles away. A board- Despite their dedication, most
of assisting general practitioners. certified cardiologist or internist then practitioners realistically cannot have
reviewed the ECG along with the ac- expertise in all areas of veterinary
What Is Telemedicine? companying case history and sent a medicine. Telemedicine can bridge
Veterinary telemedicine is the use report with a probable diagnosis, the gap between general practitioners
of electronic information and com- prognosis, and therapeutic recom- and veterinary specialists, thereby al-
munication technologies to assist mendations. lowing practitioners access to current
practitioners in providing clinical Today, even in its infancy, tele- diagnostic and therapeutic informa-
care when separated by distance. medicine allows a more complete data- tion.
Telemedicine provides practitioners base to be distributed electronically The financial benefits should also
with decision support via meaningful to other veterinarians and special- be considered before deciding to use
communication with other veterinar- ists. Through telemedicine, practi- telemedicine. When they refer pa-
Compendium February 1999 20TH ANNIVERSARY Small Animal/Exotics