Washington: Oppose Limitations to Veterinary Telehealth!

Woman and dog sitting on couch looking at tablet

Proposal to Restrict Access to Veterinary Care

ASPCA Position: Oppose

Update—September 9, 2024: The Washington Veterinary Board of Governors voted to advance this proposal to the next stage, and a second vote will take place on December 9. Please urge the Board to set aside the proposal on December 9 and instead take measures to expand access to veterinary telehealth.

Washington is facing an unprecedented veterinary shortage and pet owners are having difficulty accessing veterinary care. Despite these challenges, a proposal before the Washington Veterinary Board of Governors aims to restrict the use of veterinary telemedicine—leaving pet owners with even fewer options for obtaining care.

Encourage the Washington Veterinary Board of Governors to use their power to increase access to vet care. Instead of further restricting the use of remote appointments, Washington-licensed veterinarians should be empowered to use telemedicine technology for new and existing patients.

More About the Board and Veterinary Telemedicine
The Washington Veterinary Board of Governors is a division of the state's Department of Health. Its mission is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and their animals by regulating the quality of Washington's healthcare providers and facilities.

Veterinary telemedicine is a critical tool for the veterinary field. Using this tool, licensed veterinarians can easily connect with clients, and it benefits a wide range of people and pets. Video calls enable veterinarians to provide excellent medical care when clinics are short-staffed; they offer flexibility for pet owners who are unable to take time off work or make a long drive to the clinic; and they allow pets who have anxiety, mobility problems, and other medical conditions to stay comfortable at home.

People are taking advantage of telehealth for their own medical care, and it’s time for Washington to allow the benefits of this technology to extend fully to the veterinary field, including new patients.

What You Can Do

Please use the form below to send an email asking the Washington Veterinary Board of Governors to reject this proposal and instead expand access to veterinary care in Washington.

Advocacy Alert

Your Message

Subject VCPR Rules Comment - Please Expand Access to Veterinary Telemedicine

Message

As a Washington resident concerned about access to timely veterinary care, I respectfully ask that you amend the current VCPR rules proposal to increase access to veterinary telemedicine and allow for a Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship to be established using telemedicine.

The veterinary industry is facing a serious shortage of professionals in the workforce, and Washington pet owners are left facing the consequences. Increased wait times and lack of appointment availability can cause some pet owners to delay and even forego veterinary care all together. As we have seen in human medicine, telemedicine is a safe and effective tool that can help bridge gaps in care created by workforce shortages and other barriers.

Veterinary telemedicine can be an indispensable tool for Washington residents who may need to use video technology when they face challenges getting their pets to a clinic due to disability, transportation issues, limited appointment availability, or because they live in rural or underserved areas.

As drafted, the current VCPR rules proposal would codify Washington’s existing outdated regulations that permit telehealth for very few and limited circumstances. Washington-licensed veterinarians should be empowered to use their professional discretion to determine when telehealth visits are appropriate and when an in-person appointment is necessary. The current proposal will do little to nothing to address the access to care crisis facing Washington.

California, Florida and Arizona have recently enacted laws to allow veterinary telemedicine – Washington should not take this regressive step backwards by making it more difficult for pet owners to receive care at a time when it is needed most.

Once again, I ask that you please consider revising the proposed rule change to permit a virtual VCPR so that more pets can receive the care they need.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my position.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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