Ask Fido
Overview
Ask Fido aims to provide a solution as a single portal diagnostic search engine for veterinary students and practitioners. Drawing on existing knowledge bases and web resources, this application allows users to conduct a meta-search across multiple platforms using a unique clinical diagnostic interface. This evidence based approach will allow the user to access recent papers, treatments, clinical signs, descriptors, suggested diagnostic tests and even images and videos. The diagnostic interface has already ben trialled with students and proven to be intuitive and well received by students and vets.
The development of this app benefits from collaboration with significant partners in the veterinary informatics, knowledge base and technical fields. A key advantage of this approach will be that clinical coding systems used in electronic patients records will be dynamically linked to relevant clinical fact sheets and references. In addition, mobile access to this application will provide the opportunity for access to information at the point of clinical care.
Whilst the application has been initially designed for use by UK veterinary students in their clinical studies, it will have a wider relevance to new graduates and clinicians in practice. Given the common approach to international veterinary practice, a wider relevance for global practice is anticipated. The commercial potential of this market will underpin the intention to provide a sustainable business plan at the end of the pilot project.