Telemedicine and the future of animal sheltering - Ep 45

Shelter Success Simplified

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3y ago 29:31

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GUEST: Brandy Kuentzel is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at the San Francisco SPCA. Prior to joining the San Francisco SPCA, Brandy worked as a corporate attorney and emerged as winner of the 10th season of NBC’s reality competition series “The Apprentice.” And she earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

MAIN QUESTIONS: What it is veterinary telemedicine and why should animal welfare groups have it on their radars?

TAKEAWAYS:

Veterinary telemedicine is when a veterinarian interacts with a patient remotely rather than hands-on, such as through a video connection or talking with the owner by phone.
Telemedicine can be an important part of community-based sheltering efforts that keep animals out of shelters and with their families by improving access to veterinary care.
Many animals would benefit from telemedicine including those who get overly stressed going to the vet; those in rural areas who must travel long distances; and those whose people have limited mobility, transportation challenges, logistical difficulties with childcare or work schedules.
Veterinary telemedicine is currently legal in only a few places, but a lawsuit currently going through the courts in California may set a national precedent.
A common criticism is that animals cannot speak for themselves, but there is a double-standard with human telemedicine that allows doctors to interact remotely with parents of infants and non-verbal patients. Opposition to telemedicine often assumes that veterinarians are incapable of telling whether an animal needs to be seen in person or can safely be diagnosed remotely.
Recent experiences with the pandemic have shown the benefits and successes of medical care accessed remotely.

LINKS:

San Francisco SPCA
San Francisco SPCA's Shelter PALS program for policy and legal services
Leadership recommendation: Harvard Business Review article by Nancy Duarte titled “Good Leadership Is About Communicating Why"

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