Vet Spotlight: Dr. Berman enjoys using Vetster and speaks to her experiences with telehealth

Meet Dr. Berman, a PA licensed veterinarian who has been practicing medicine for 27 years. Her skill set includes emergency, general medicine and surgery and shelter/rescue work. Her passion is to help pets and their parents, and with 5 of her own dogs, she is quite familiar with the stress and expense of visiting the animal ER.

“There is no question that telehealth is going to become more and more popular. I am happy to be part of the movement.”

I recently saw a dog named Oliver who’s a mixed breed, 6 year old neutered male. The call was to address the owner’s concern about a skin issue and lethargy. They described eye discharge and dandruff, so of course, I mentioned allergies to this client. However, when I did my visual exam, there was definitely more than allergies going on. Oliver was depressed and sad. He was hesitant to walk. He was QAR and his mucous membranes were pink. He seemed painful on his paws, which I attributed to his skin lesions. As a Pennsylvania vet, I recommended OTC products and recommended they see their vet the next day. Bloodwork was done and Oliver had Addisons! The clients were memorable because they were communicative with follow up. I appreciated being included in their dog’s health, even after our video chat.

Having practiced over 25 years, I think at times I could practice veterinary medicine with my eyes closed. I have worked in ICU, general practice, shelters and corporate settings. With virtual care,I enjoy the focus on the actual pet and problem so that I can help their animal in whatever way that I can. It can be frustrating when someone can’t get their pet to an ER or to a veterinary clinic in a timely fashion. But in general, working with the clients and connecting with them quickly is a fun way to implement our knowledge and skills. I also love being able to earn extra income from my living room.

I am also a huge fan of the OTC feature that Vetster offers. Clients can either get items via VetsterRx fulfilled by PetMeds or their own choice of pharmacy, based on my suggestions.

Clients, for the most part, just want a professional to talk to about what they see on their pet. Oftentimes our clients just need some guidance.

Depending on what state you are in, determines if you can prescribe. This can be extremely frustrating for a new graduate, or any of us. However, this is similar to working with clients who maybe can’t afford care or treatment and we are forced to reach for alternatives.

New graduates or any veterinarian can learn the skill of communication on this platform; it teaches quick investigative thinking and gentle communication skills. I feel that Vetster is EXTREMELY supportive.

Any veterinarian can learn how to do virtual veterinary medicine. But for newer vets, just make sure support is in place so that you can get advice or validate what you have done. There will be clients in your exam room or on this platform that may not be pleasant, but Vetster has always been very supportive of me as a veterinarian. It is a wonderful tool for income and I am always learning.

I think that those clients who have learned the telehealth option are most likely to start there before going to their veterinarian in person. I’ve also noticed that telehealth companies in the USA are giving this platform as an employee benefit (learn more on what Vetster offers here). It is such an appealing option for clients because they don’t have to leave their house and there is no up-sale of products and pets don’t have to be schlepped to the vet.  Because of this there is no question in my mind that telehealth is going to become more and more popular, and I am happy to be part of the movement.

If you're interested in being featured in our blog, please contact Jennifer, our Manager of Veterinary Success by emailing jennifer@vetster.com.