COUNCIL ESTABLISHES STANDARD ON TELEMEDICINE
The College Council recently revised its standard regarding the use of telemedicine in the delivery of veterinary medicine in Ontario.
This standard supports innovation in the delivery of safe, quality veterinary medicine in Ontario. The professional practice standard, approved by Council in March, continues to define telemedicine as the delivery of veterinary medicine using information and communication technologies where the veterinarian and the patient are not in the same physical location.
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POLICY
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS: IT’ S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
Veterinarians who have a change in home, work or e-mail addresses, are required by law to notify the College in writing within 30 days of the change.
It is important to include any updates such as new phone numbers and / or changes to your place of employment. Please submit these changes to inquiries @ cvo. org.
The College’ s expectations of veterinarians remain the same whether they are delivering service in-person or through telemedicine. With approval of the standard, the College is one of the first regulators in North America to support the establishment of a veterinarianclient-patient relationship( VCPR) via telemedicine.
A VCPR exists when the veterinarian has been retained by the owner of the animal; when the veterinarian and the client agree as to the scope of services to be provided to the animal; and also when the veterinarian has advised the client that services will only be provided in accordance with the standards of practice of the profession. The VCPR is maintained by the veterinarian having recent and sufficient knowledge of the animal. The VCPR is the foundation of effective veterinary medicine and animal care.
The standard also states that a veterinarian is expected to use his / her judgment to determine whether telemedicine is appropriate to each specific circumstance.
Change of Name
Licensed members must practise veterinary medicine by the same name as listed in the Public Register, which is the name that appears on the basic degree in veterinary medicine. If a veterinarian wishes to change his / her name, he / she must submit an application to the College Registrar with appropriate supporting documentation.
To request a change to a name listed on the Public Register, please complete and submit the Application for Name Change form.
Adding Specialty Board Certification to a Record
If a veterinarian has become a board
The need for a physical examination in order to make an appropriate diagnosis will continue to be essential in many cases. As well, drugs cannot be prescribed through telemedicine alone.
The College initially established a position on telemedicine in 2015. The policy was revised and posted for public consultation this winter. The Professional Practice Standard on Telemedicine is available on the College’ s website.
Professional Practice Standard
• Telemedicine • www. cvo. org / telemedicine
certified specialist, the College will verify the designation by viewing the original board certification or receiving a notarized copy. Once the designation has been verified, the board certification will be added to the individual’ s record on the Public Register.
Watch your inbox for policy news
One of the reasons it’ s important for the College to have an accurate e-mail address for you is to ensure you are notified about changes in standards, licensure notifications, consultations and more. Stay informed on important changes that may impact your practice by keeping your contact information up to date.
Registrar’ s Office Ms. Jan Robinson- Registrar & CEO
Ms. Anita Lovrich Policy Specialist
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Licensure
Ms. Shilo Tooze Associate Registrar, Licensure
Ms. Lindsay Sproule Principal, Licensure & Professional Corporations
Ms. Sarah Kirby Associate, Licensure & Professional Corporations
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Mr. Martin Fischer Investigations & Inspections Specialist
Quality Practice
Dr. Kim Lambert Associate Registrar, Quality Practice
Dr. Susan Sabatini Practice Advisor
Ms. Megan Callaway Principal, Quality Practice
Ms. Aneeta Bharij Principal, Accreditation
Accreditation Inspectors Mr. Brian Redpath Mr. Wilf Muller Mr. Adrian Darmon
Licensure & Quality Practice
Emily Lewis Associate, Programs
Spring 2017 / 5