“Families have become used to speaking with doctors virtually and they not only deserve, but desperately need, the same access when caring for their pets,” says Deb Leon.
SKOKIE, Ill. (PRWEB)
December 02, 2020
whiskerDocs, North America’s largest pet telehealth and teletriage provider, announced plans for the January, 2021 launch of its proprietary telemedicine service for pet owners in four U.S. states with guidance from leading pet telemedicine lawyer/advocate Mark Cushing, founder of Animal Policy Group and author of Pet Nation, the Love Affair that Changed America.
whiskerDocs’ proprietary telemedicine model is supported by multiple patents, both allowed and pending, enabling best practice standards for veterinary triage and clinical protocols. whiskerDocs’ proactive, consumer driven virtual care program enables cross-platform medical histories, technology-driven solutions, virtual examinations and integrated, transparent medical records.
“By starting with teletriage, pet parents in eligible states will be able to receive the same on-demand services they’ve come to rely on from whiskerDocs, as well as access to veterinary telemedicine consults,” says Deb Leon, CEO/founder of whiskerDocs and a founding member of the Veterinary Virtual Care Association. She added, “Families have become used to speaking with doctors virtually and they not only deserve, but desperately need, the same access when caring for their pets.”
whiskerDocs’ mission has always been to empower pet owners with right information and resources to care for their companion animals with confidence. “As few as 40% of pets in the U.S. are estimated to receive annual veterinary care,” says Mark Cushing. “Virtual access can dramatically improve this while delivering high quality care to the families who need it most.”
Currently, most state veterinary practice acts restrict how a veterinary-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) can be established and maintained, limiting access for tens of millions of pet owners in the United States. The numbers are dramatically different in human health, where 49 states and Washington, D.C provide Medicaid reimbursement for at least some form of medical video consult. To reach the remaining states that currently restrict pet telemedicine, whiskerDocs, Animal Policy Group, and industry allies will actively engage state legislative bodies and veterinary boards to implement the legal reforms necessary to allow broader access to veterinary care.
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