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This year’s BSAVA press conference brought together a panel of experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges of integrating new technologies into veterinary practice and how to ensure that animal welfare remains the top priority, coinciding with a recent RCVS consultation on the topic of telemedicine and new technology.
From wearable heart rate monitors to clinical investigations over the internet, new technology is going to transform the way that veterinary services are delivered over the next decade.
The panel of experts, chaired by BSAVA Public Relations Officer and practicing vet surgeon Ross Allan, examined the scope of ‘telemedicine’ for improving pet health and welfare – but also warned of the possible dangers of such technologies being misused.
David Catlow, a member of the ruling council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, told journalists the college is examining how these advances will affect animals, their owners and the veterinary profession.It is holding a public consultation which has attracted more than 1,300 responses from vets, technology developers and the public.
“There is no doubt that technological advantages are accelerating at an unprecedented rate and they offer huge opportunities for improving the care provided for pet animals. But these changes must take place within a regulatory and legal framework which ensures that the interests of the animals are safeguarded and we maintain the confidence of the public both in the technology and the veterinary profession,” he said.
Jennifer Rowland wrote a prize-winning essay on the impact of wearable health monitoring devices for pets as a fourth-year vet student at Edinburgh University. She pointed out the potential value of this equipment for gathering information on heart rate, blood pressure, etc needed to understand the effects of disease on animals and the way that they respond to treatment. Therefore it has enormous potential for advancing the science of veterinary medicine, she said.
Paul Mahoney, a leading veterinary radiologist said two factors that have driven recent changes are the combination of digital imaging and rapid broadband, which mean that X-rays and other medical images can be sent for immediate analysis by specialists across the world.
However, speakers were concerned that some technologies were being developed by companies with little understanding of the needs of pet owners or their animals and that this may lead to disillusionment and lost opportunities for using the equipment to best advantage.
Dr Catlow warned that vets need to learn lessons from the human healthcare field. Only this month, the UK Government’s health regulator, the Care Quality Commission closed down three websites which were offering medical advice and prescription medicines without the necessary safeguards, he said.
Responses to the RCVS consultation are being analysed and it will be making preliminary recommendations at a major meeting later this year on innovation in veterinary services.