Telehealth adoption is being fueled by both technological breakthroughs and societal demands; however, veterinarians have yet to fully embrace the concept of telemedicine, limiting its use and ...potential benefits. The goal of this study was to evaluate how effective the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behaviour change explains the initiation and sustenance of telehealth use among veterinarians.
For this cross-sectional study, a research company was contracted to disseminate the MTM-based online survey to veterinarians currently engaged in clinical practice within the United States.
A total of 243 veterinarians participated in this study. The most frequently reported age group among participants was 31-40 years (33.7%, n = 82). It was also noted that the majority of participants were female (70.0%, n = 170) and white (76.5%, n = 186). Hierarchical multiple regression showed that participatory dialogue (p = 0.037), species (p = 0.013) and previous monthly telehealth use (p = 0.040) were significant explanatory variables of initiation of telehealth use. Moreover, emotional transformation (p < 0.001) and previous monthly telehealth use (p = 0.035) were significant explanatory variables of sustenance of telehealth use.
The data were collected in July 2020, during a global pandemic, in which telehealth use surged across a variety of professions. As a result, the findings of the study may not be relevant in periods when there is no pandemic.
Based on the findings of this study, researchers, educators and veterinary professionals should consider using MTM as theoretical framework to develop interventions to enhance telehealth use.
A new strategy has been introduced in human health care, namely, achieving the best outcomes for the lowest cost and thus maximizing value for patients. In value‐based care, the only true measures of ...quality are the outcomes that matter to patients. When outcomes are measured and reported, it fosters improvement and adoption of best practices, thus further improving outcomes. Understanding outcomes is central in providing value and represents an opportunity for redefining veterinary patient care.
Value is created by improving the outcomes of patients with a particular clinical condition over the full cycle of care, which normally involves multiple specialties and care sites. To be successful, a key aspect of value based care is working as teams (integrated practice units) centered around the patient's clinical condition. As veterinary medicine has become more specialized and more complex, multidisciplinary communication and trust among the care team are paramount in providing value to patients (and clients).
Use of patient‐reported outcomes is an essential aspect for improving clinical care, because it enhances the connections among doctors and with patients. Designing and implementing owner‐reported outcomes in veterinary clinical practice will lead to an understanding of the effects of treatments on outcomes and quality of life (QOL) of our patients from the owner's perspective, a key way to assess a veterinary patient's QOL.
The epidemic of antimicrobial resistant infections continues to challenge, compromising animal care, complicating food animal production and posing zoonotic disease risks. While the overall role of ...therapeutic antimicrobial use in animals in the development AMR in animal and human pathogens is poorly defined, veterinarians must consider the impacts of antimicrobial use in animal and take steps to optimize antimicrobial use, so as to maximize the health benefits to animals while minimizing the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance and other adverse effects. This consensus statement aims to provide guidance on the therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animals, balancing the need for effective therapy with minimizing development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from animals and humans.
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