Interview with Alexa Montgomery BSC BVSC BSAVA PGCertSAM MRCVS

We caught up with Alexa from Maple Vets, who have now held over 100 video consultations on the VetHelpDirect video platform, to see how they are getting on.

What advantages does video offer over phone calls?
Obviously, nothing is as good as seeing things in person, but the video enables us to do so much more [than a phone]. Often clients have no medical background at all so struggle to explain things like ocular discharge or the description of a cutaneous mass. The video therefore enables us to view things as a veterinarian and make our own assessment of the seriousness of the situation to determine if the animal genuinely needs to be seen or if medication can be prescribed without a clinical examination.

What types of consultations have you used video for?
All sorts- lumps/masses, sore ears, sore eyes, lameness, diarrhoea!

How have you priced your video consultations?
Our consultation fees are the normal rate but if after the consultation the vet feels the animal needs a clinical examination, no further charge is billed. The majority of clients are fine. Resistance seems to come mainly from long-term clients who perhaps aren’t always charged a full consultation fee anyway.

Did you use private appointments or publicly available, or both?
Only private because we want to be able to choose the cost of the consultation.

What do you find particularly good about the VetHelpDirect video consultation platform?
It is professional looking and deals with the consultation fee for us. The list of things to prepare the client before the consult such as having the dog on a lead is helpful.

Will this change how you work post-coronavirus?
I think we will offer video consultations after this as they are appropriate for many things and saves unnecessary trips out especially if animals dislike the vets.

>more information on the offering video consultations