By T. J. Dunn Jr., DVM; Illustrations by Tom Kimball
A revolution is occurring. It started slowly, but gained momentum and has firmly established itself as a new way to conduct veterinary medicine. Practice after practice has joined, embracing the digital age as it transforms the way pet healthcare is delivered and medical knowledge is shared.
Doctors now have more diagnostic tools to probe deeper into the inner workings of a sick patient. Many of these instruments and tests are now conveniently located in the exam room, which enables faster, more-accurate diagnoses.
Veterinary medicine has also embraced the digital revolution, and the beneficiaries are pets and their owners. Compiling patient records, sending reminders to clients, storing and retrieving patient data, and receiving the newest information on medications and therapeutic protocols have gone high-tech. Veterinarians are turning to online resources for continuing education, updated data on drugs, new surgical techniques, improved therapeutic procedures, and even videos about medical techniques and therapies.
Vets bypass reference books for the computer mouse. Three or four clicks and current, expert, targeted information can be incorporated into your dog’s medical workup, even during an office call. For veterinarians it’s like having a specialist in every discipline as an invisible partner in the practice. Accessing the latest treatments for tricky problems or information about newly emerging diseases is as easy as point and click.
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