Digitalization in Veterinary Medicine - The Perception and Acceptance of Digitalized Animal Healthcare by Owners in Germany

Veterinary telemedicine is not as new as it seems. The technological advan- ces in telecommunication and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic contributed to the fast adoption of telecommunications by veterinarians. The study aims to assess the perception and acceptance of digitalized ani- mal healthcare by animal owners. An online-based questionnaire was used and shared with veterinary institutions and telehealth providers. A total of 362 responses were gathered between March and August of 2021 from all the states of Germany. Kruskal–Wallis, Spearman, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used for statistical analysis and hypotheses testing. The results show that while 71% of responding pet owners view telemedicine as an asset to their clinic or practice of choice, 84% have never used telemedical services of any kind. The main factors contributing to hesitancy towards online consultations among pet owners were primarily limited examination methods (82%) and lack of personal component (32%). The main disruptive elements in connection with clinical visits were waiting times (59%), agg- ressive or nervous pets (55%), and general stress (39%). The study shows that despite many respondents having a positive attitude toward teleme- dicine, it is still underused in clinical practice in Germany. More research on how the adoption of telemedicine can be improved is needed.

Cite this article as: Diez, E., Renner, A., & Ózsvári, L. (2023). Digitalization in veterinary medicine the perception and acceptance of digitalized animal healthcare by owners in Germany. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 49(2), 69-74.