title: Evaluation of a virtual pet visit system with live video streaming of patient images over the Internet in a companion animal intensive care unit in the Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a virtual pet visit system ("TelePet" System, TPS) on owners and staff of a companion animal ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal interventional study (2010-2013).
  
  
  METHODS
  Companion animal ICU at a university veterinary medical teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pet owners, ICU technicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The introduction of the TPS, with live video streaming of patient images over the Internet, in a companion animal ICU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pet owners experienced TPS as a valuable extra service. Most TPS users (72.4%) experienced less anxiety and felt less need (40.4% of TPS users) to visit their hospitalized pet in person. Most users (83.5%) shared TPS access with their family. The introduction of the TPS did not improve overall owner satisfaction, except for the score on "quality of medical treatment." Seven of 26 indicators of owner satisfaction were awarded higher scores by TPS users than by TPS nonusers in the survey after the introduction of the system. However, the lack of randomization of owners might have influenced findings. The enthusiasm of the ICU technicians for the system was tempered by the negative feedback from a small number of owners. Nevertheless they recognized the value of the system for owners. The system was user friendly and ICU staff and TPS users experienced few technical problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As veterinary healthcare is moving toward a more client-centered approach, a virtual pet visit system, such as TPS, is a relatively simple application that may improve the well-being of most owners during the hospitalization of their pet.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NL-3584 CM, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joris H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Robben
authors.affiliation: HAS University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch NL-5223 DE, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Diede N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Melsen
authors.affiliation: HAS University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch NL-5223 DE, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Osama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Almalik
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NL-3584 CM, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roomer
authors.affiliation: Department of Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NL-3584 CM, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Endenburg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D020407:Internet; D009426:Netherlands; D010067:Ownership; D057805:Pets; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000592:standards*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: camera; intensive care; owner satisfaction; survey; technician