Becker Björn, Tipold Andrea, Ehlers Jan, Kleinsorgen Christin
Centre for E-Learning, Didactics and Educational Research, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
Veterinary Practice B. Becker, Heek, Germany.
Front Vet Sci. 2023 Feb 15;10:1062046. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1062046. eCollection 2023.
Information on the use of telemedical approaches in the context of veterinary medicine is evolving. As in human medicine, veterinary medicine is subject to an increasing digitalization effort. The aim of the current study was to investigate the perspective of German veterinarians regarding their awareness and usage of telemedical approaches. Furthermore, the degree of implementation of different digital approaches in the context of German veterinary medicine was elaborated.
A literature review, that also aimed to address the necessary framework or standardization of these digitalization efforts and potential barriers such as legal or infrastructural aspects, provided information for the empirical research. Using a quantitative research approach, the perspective of German veterinarians was surveyed.
In total, responses from 169 veterinarians were analyzed. The results show that digital approaches were used by veterinarians and the usage was enhanced by the COVID-19 crisis.
However, the lack of a clear legal framework may be a significant barrier for further implementation. This survey provides a basis for a critical discussion on the use of veterinary telemedicine in Germany. The results may contribute to future strategies for the implementation and development of necessary policies, training, and service applications within Germany, which may be transferable for the profession in other countries.
关于远程医疗方法在兽医学领域应用的信息正在不断发展。与人类医学一样，兽医学也在加大数字化力度。本研究的目的是调查德国兽医对远程医疗方法的认知和使用情况。此外，还阐述了德国兽医学领域不同数字方法的实施程度。
一项文献综述也旨在探讨这些数字化努力的必要框架或标准化以及法律或基础设施等潜在障碍，为实证研究提供了信息。采用定量研究方法，对德国兽医的观点进行了调查。
总共分析了169名兽医的回复。结果表明，兽医们使用了数字方法，并且新冠疫情危机增强了这种使用。
然而，缺乏明确的法律框架可能是进一步实施的重大障碍。这项调查为德国兽医远程医疗使用的批判性讨论提供了基础。研究结果可能有助于德国未来制定必要政策、培训和服务应用的实施与发展战略，这些战略可能适用于其他国家的该行业。
