Vetster offers at-home diagnostic testing

Virtual care has many benefits, most notably the ability to provide a continuum of care - one that eliminates some of the stress of seeing non-urgent cases in-clinic. Vetster has partnered with My Simple Pet Lab (MSPL) to integrate home diagnostic test kits for routine stool analysis into our platform. Available to US veterinarians through the VetsterRx feature, at-home testing is one more way to support the delivery of excellent veterinary care while making it easier for pet owners and their pets.

With only a single click, you can recommend that a test kit  be mailed to your client any time you feel it is indicated.  The fee of $119USD + tax includes the MSPL kit and the follow-up appointment to go over the results.

Our platform currently offers easy ordering of My Simple Pet Lab’s routine stool diagnostic test kit. This test is available for both dogs and cats and includes routine tests for:

• Fecal ova and parasites: roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, giardia, coccidia
• Giardia antigen by ELISA

After activation of the purchased tests, you and your client also have the option to select an upgrade that includes these additional tests, for an additional fee paid directly to My Simple Pet Lab:

• PCR for microbes for dogs and cats
• Fecal Egg Count (FEC) for hookworms for dogs only

Ordering a home stool diagnostic test kit is one-click easy on the Vetster platform. This feature is available to all US veterinarians on both desktop and mobile, both during the call experience as well as after. Head to VetsterRx and  click the “Order Diagnostic Test Kit” button to have an offer to purchase the kit sent to your client. Home diagnostic kits can be ordered for any and all appointments on our platform, whether you are providing telemedicine services within a professional relationship and have a VCPR, or are providing general advice only.

1. In your Vetster account, and within the appropriate appointment record, order the Vetster Diagnostics + Follow-up appointment through your prescription pad. The client will receive an email letting them know that a kit has been added to their account for them to order. The client can then decide whether they’d like to proceed with placing the order.

2. Once a fecal kit has been ordered by the client, it will be delivered to them within 2-3 business days. All of the instructions and materials needed will be provided within the kit, along with a shipping return label.

3. Once the lab receives the fecal kit from the client, results will be released within 24 hours. Completed test results will be automatically uploaded to the follow up appointment.

Important Information: Home diagnostic test kits are available without a prescription and ordering one does not constitute the establishment of a professional relationship.

Your client’s purchase price for a home diagnostic test kit on the Vetster platform is clearly noted on the “Order Diagnostic Test Kit” button.  This price includes the routine stool analysis test for either a dog or a cat, a follow-up appointment on Vetster to go over the results, along with shipping both to and from the lab.

You can read more about My Simple Pet Lab’s canine and feline stool test kits on their website.

Once an order is placed, the home diagnostic test kit will be delivered to your client within 2-3 business days.  All of the instructions and materials needed are provided with the kit, along with a return shipping label.  Once the kit is received by the lab, results will be emailed to the client within 24 hours and uploaded to the follow-up appointment on Vetster for your review.  At that time, our team will contact the client to schedule their follow up appointment.

Just like any other appointment on Vetster, home diagnostic kit follow-ups are scheduled at a time that works for both you and your client.  Log on and start the appointment the same as you would for a regular consultation.  When the appointment is completed you’ll be compensated at a flat rate, which may be different from your usual fee.

If you’ve got a VCPR and are practicing telemedicine on Vetster, carry on the same as you would in the clinic.  We trust you and your professional judgment to provide care that’s ethical, legal, and responsible and geared toward maximizing patient outcomes.  Utilize your report from MSPL and interpret it for the client, explaining the best path forward for additional diagnostics and treatment. We encourage you to operate at the maximum capacity allowed by your licensing, diagnosing and prescribing where you see fit.

A summary of this process, including the flat rate you receive for these follow-up visits is available on the Fecal Testing Kits page in our Knowledge base.

If you don’t have a VCPR, you can still provide valuable information while discussing lab results at the follow-up. These consultations are for informational purposes only and no professional relationships are established as long as you limit your interpretation to  “general advice”.

• Explain what each analyte means, and the significance of results
• Discuss the impact of each finding on general pet well-being or potential zoonotic risks
• Describe common symptoms associated with different results
• List conditions associated with these types of results
• Provide a summary of any additional diagnostic recommendations for symptoms or results like their pet is showing
• Explain treatment options
• Discuss prognosis and expectations

You may direct clients to also seek additional general advice and support  directly from MSPL.

When providing general advice, avoid anything directed at the specific situation or pet.  Try to sound like content from an encyclopedia or textbook.  Your goal is to make sure the pet parent has the information they need to decide what to do next. Click here to learn more about framing your consultations as general advice.

The lab at MSPL meets or exceeds professional lab results standards. ****Learn more at their Veterinary Learning Center and FAQs.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to our Support team via live chat or email us at support@vetster.com.

You may create an account as a veterinary professional, or learn more here.