Resolution in Support of Veterinary Telehealth Modernization Principles

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Summary

Veterinarians should be allowed to practice to the full extent of their professional training through telehealth. Veterinary telehealth services ought to be available to clients who want to access veterinary care for their animals if the veterinarian is in another state provided the veterinarian is fully licensed and trained. Laws and regulations should permit veterinary telehealth innovations such as real-time video telemedicine consultations. Currently, certain laws and regulations prevent veterinarians from helping their patients through telehealth. No laws or regulations should prohibit the use of telehealth technology to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship or require veterinarians to conduct physical examinations of animals prior to the provision of veterinary services through telehealth. Laws and regulations should not subdivide the provision of telehealth services into regulatory classifications (such as tele-triage, tele-advice, tele-consultation, etc.) and should avoid dictating other overly prescriptive practices that may grow obsolete quickly. The enactment and/or repeal of laws and regulations should be consistent with these principles.

Resolution in Support of Veterinary Telehealth Modernization Principles

WHEREAS, laws and regulations should allow veterinarians to practice the full extent of their professional training and expertise through telehealth;

WHEREAS, all veterinarians should be free to deliver telehealth services;

WHEREAS, clients should be able to access telehealth services for their animals from licensed veterinarians in other states;

WHEREAS, no laws or regulations should require a client and patient to meet a veterinarian in-person before they receive a telehealth service;

WHEREAS, regulations should avoid subdividing the provision of telehealth services into regulatory classifications (such as tele-triage, tele-advice, tele-consultation, etc.) and avoid dictating other overly prescriptive practices that may grow obsolete quickly;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that [STATE] supports the enactment and/or repeal of laws and regulations consistent with these principles.