Veterinary Virtual Care Association names first executive director

The Veterinary Virtual Care Association (VVCA), a brand new organization created to advance telemedicine and virtual care in veterinary practice, has appointed Alison McIntyre as its first executive director.

McIntyre, who assumed her new role earlier this month, has been involved with the association since its inception. Her work as a junior partner at the Animal Policy Group made her “an excellent choice,” says Mark Cushing, founding member of the VVCA.

In addition to advocating the VVCA’s vision of having the best virtual care practices, McIntyre is responsible for educating professionals about virtual veterinary care, including telehealth, telemedicine, telemonitoring, teletriage, etc. She is also tasked with accelerating the adoption of virtual care within veterinary medicine.

Formed in April 2020, the VVCA is a global nonprofit organization whose mission is to "make virtual care part of the standard of care in veterinary medicine." The organization is also dedicated to "developing best practices for delivering virtual care for animals, defining quality standards and protocols for practicing virtual care, sharing experiences among practice teams, engaging with virtual care providers and advocating for policies in support of quality virtual care."