eHealth Certificates for Animal Health Regulatory Management

 

Kevin Maher, GlobalVetLink, LC

 

 

Introduction / Executive Summary

GlobalVetLink, L.C. (GVL) is headquartered in Ames, Iowa, in the Iowa State University Research Park. GlobalVetLink’s mission is to be the primary information system platform for the animal health regulatory industry through utilization of secure, web-based Internet applications. 

 

The company specializes in state of the art Internet application tools for State and Federal Animal Health Officials, Private Practicing Veterinarians, Diagnostic Labs and Animal Industry Owners for animal health regulatory management by facilitating efficient compliance with intrastate / interstate, international animal health regulations, commerce as well as EIA / Coggins, by automatically initiating the appropriate e-document for the requested animal movement.  GVL is purely regulatory-based business.

 

GlobalVetLink maintains up to date Internet based technology, while providing a safe, robust, and efficient system for the industry.  Additionally, this service is an important vehicle for integrating diagnostic laboratory into the food animal and companion animal regulatory process. 

 

Principals include: Kevin D. Maher, GlobalVetLink, LC, President / Founder, William Eugene Lloyd, DVM, Chairman / President, Lloyd Inc., Conrad B. Schmidt, DVM, President, Schmidt & Associates.

 

GVL also works with more than 14 internationally recognized animal health specialists as well as State / Federal Agencies and USDA / APHIS / VS. 

 

Current GlobalVetLink online applications interface with all existing State and Federal proposals for: Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998, Center for Emerging Issues and the National Disease Reporting System. 

 

In November 2002, USDA / APHIS / Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) Veterinary Services announced they will work with Communications Resource Inc. (CRI) and GlobalVetLink, LC (GVL) to develop an electronic version of the Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for food animal applications which will be available to all States at no charge for usage.  The electronic health certificates will be web-based and will incorporate the requirements endorsed by United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) five years ago.  APHIS / VS targeted the first quarter of 2003 for implementation. 

 

GlobalVetLink’s secured web-base platform launched in the State of Florida with the Department of Animal Industry and Consumer Services in 1999 and has set a state of the art standard for animal health regulatory management tools. 

 

Background History:

  • GlobalVetLink secure web-based platform was developed and proven effective during

  • Florida’s 1999 – 2000 pilot study involving more than 20K animals

  • Commercially launched September 2001

  • Leadership – Florida Department of Animal Industry and Consumer Services

  • 1st in the Nation / State of the Art System

  • Florida now exports animals to more than 48 states/3 territories via GVL

 

Technical aspect of GlobalVetLink’s Internet applications:

  • Secure Internet Applications

  • Browser-based

  • Real-time

  • Flexible & Scalable

  • Integrated

  • Secure

  • Easy-to-use

 

Turnkey solution:

  • Network redundancy

  • Oracle Database engine to process complex queries

  • 24/7 application / hardware support

  • Automatic updates

 

Security Hierarchy (ascending order)

  • Animal Owner

  • USDA / APHIS Accredited Veterinarians

  • County or Municipal Animal Control Officials

  • State Veterinarian Health Officials

  • Animal Transport Company

  • Ag Law Enforcement Station Officials

  • USDA

  • US Trading Partners

 

GlobalVetLink provides services for:

  • State / Federal Animal Health Officials

  • Animal Diagnostic Laboratories

  • Private Practicing Veterinarians

  • Production Animal and Companion Animal Industry/Owners

  • County and Municipal Government Pet Licensing

 

Type of services GVL provides:

  • Official Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (OCIV) for all species

  • Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Coggins with

  • Diagnostic Lab connectivity

  • For Sale – Pet Lemon Law

  • Technical team support

  • Remote Vet Assistant

 

Feature / Benefits:

For State / Federal Agencies –

§        Centrally manages animal regulatory import and export data

§        Compile reports

§        Monitor compliance

§        Evaluate trends

§        Locate disease source

§        Target exposed animals

§        Initiate containment

§        State Users Reporting options for monitoring animal movements, imports, exports, intrastate, laboratory activities, vet usage rate and many more tools.

 

For Private Practitioners and Animal Health Officials –

§        Access GVL’s web-based system 24/7

§        Run real time, secured reports, data queries via any Internet connection

§        File all transactions by secured point/click

§        Obtain immediate approval for animal movement

§        Easily integrate diagnostic lab data, providing greater accuracy, historical data and backtracking in case of animal disease outbreak

 

For Diagnostic Labs –

§        Access GVL’s web-based system 24/7

§        Receive submissions direct from vet via secured web applications

§        Report real-time result direct to veterinarians

§        Connectivity – State, Federal and Practitioners

 

For Animal Owners:

§        An eTicket for their pet, horses and/or show stock

§        Digital Images and improved ID

§        Clean, legible and professional looking – a document they are proud of

§        Easy to verify

 

For Animal Transporters:

§        Shipping documents are like eTickets and are available online

§        Expedite animal transfer

§        Reduces verification time when questions arise

§        Increases transporters ability to better service their clients

§        Provides a digital image identification for animal verification

 

System Mechanics:  (screen shots)

  • Access via secured user name / password after confirmation of the subscribers:

  • USDA / APHIS Accredited License

  • Administration tools include:

    • Regs for all 50 states

    • Links to basic regulatory questions etc

    • Online Help Wizard

    • Front Page news flashes of importance to animal health

    • Create Certificate / Edit Data / Online Filing Cabinet / Lab Submissions

  • Data flows thru GVL server

  • Client / Animal information can be entered in the practice or at the farm call

  • Run Tests in house or via online method

  • Store frequently used tests / vaccines for use with other animals

  • Submits Lab Request and blood samples

  • Apply any necessary vaccines and store if frequently used

  • Digital Images enhance ID of animals

  • Many methods of ID can be included

  • When lab samples are complete, information auto applies to saved OCVI

  • Exporting State shipper calls for Permit and

  • Receiving State can view Real-time report

  • Complete OCVI and sign for owner as usual

  • Validated documents go to the State or Origin & the State of Destination – Electronically - Instantly- within one centralized web based application.

 

Where GVL is now:

Highlight of Stats from September 2001 – April 1, 2003:

OCVI

 

Bovine - 1,813 certificate(s) with 133,362 animal(s) total.

Equine - 1,220 certificate(s) with 1,276 animal(s) total.

Canine - 309 certificate(s) with 309 animal(s) total.

Feline - 17 certificate(s) with 59 animal(s) total.

 

Number of exports to 51 states / US Territories:

48 state(s) / 3 territories, 3,122 certificate(s) with 126,166 animal(s) total.

 

USDA / APHIS / CEAH / VS ICVI project for the movement of livestock:

 

In November 2002, Communications Resource Inc. (CRI) and GlobalVetLink, LC (GVL) announced they are working with Veterinary Services Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (VS CEAH) a part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), to develop an electronic version of the Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for livestock applications.  The electronic health certificates will be web-based and incorporate the requirements endorsed by United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) five years ago. 

 

Electronic health certificates have been successfully applied in Florida with benefits realized by practitioners, and state and federal animal health officials.  USDA / APHIS / VS will build on that success by including California, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin to further pilot the current application and suggest minor changes that will make the system even more accepted across a wide distribution of users.

 

The goal is that by March 2003, VS will be ready to implement a nationwide system for livestock that will provide electronic transmission of health certificate data, create printed certificates, provide access to domestic import/export information, create summary reports of periodic activity and produce a standardized data transmission file that could interface with local databases.

 

Veterinary Services will provide the technology for livestock movement to the States who can, if they desire, allocate funds for personnel training, support and other applications available by contract with GlobalVetLink. 

 

GlobalVetLink welcomes you to become involved and we encourage your partnership just as we welcome participation by governmental agencies of U.S. and all its trading partners.

 

For more information:

Kevin Maher, President

GlobalVetLink, LC

515.296.0860

kmaher@globalvetlink.com

http://www.globalvetlink.com