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An increasing number of our clients have become quite familiar with teleconferencing in their daily lives. This comfort has extended to dealing with their physicians, and telehealth consulting with veterinary teams should be presumed to become a routine matter and perhaps even a preference for many clients (see 2.5 – Virtual Care (Telehealth)). The interaction can be synchronous (real‐time) or asynchronous (respond following review) but the expectation of clients will likely be that there are many times when dealing with pet care virtually is preferred. It is not just a matter of personal safety, but many clients have found this to be convenient as well.

We should anticipate that many clients will be receptive to the practice of telehealth, and this is also a great way for pets to be triaged before exposing them to our facilities and hospital teams. Some conditions will be more amenable to virtual care than others, and clear guidelines should exist as to what can be attempted through this platform, and what should prompt a recommendation for the animal to be seen in the hospital.

Remote monitoring is also available for our patients, and a variety of clinical attributes can now be measured at home. This includes collars that can measure activity, heart rate, respiratory rate, and some aspects of body temperature, but other devices such as glucometers can also be used. This can be very helpful for hospice patients, postsurgical patients, and those with a need for routine monitoring.

Many clients are familiar with a variety of options for virtual connection, but hospitals should be comfortable with the privacy protections for any type of telehealth attempted, and it is best if the hospital designates only a few programs with which they are comfortable in this regard, and at which teams can gain proficiency. Because telehealth is likely to become a routine part of veterinary practice going forward, one of the most important things for veterinary teams to have in place are the criteria for telehealth visits, the structure of those visits, and the fees associated with telehealth consults. Telehealth need not be a money‐losing proposition for the practice and can be as or more profitable than other types of services if instituted correctly.