The iCVI iPad app was developed by the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Center of Excellence, in partnership with the Texas Center for Applied Technology (TCAT), a part of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station.

The technology was developed as part of the business continuity project funded by the DHS S&T Directorate Office of University Programs, and in close coordination and collaboration with state animal health officials (SAHOs) in Colorado and Kansas. The mobile application was modeled after and builds upon the eCVI PDF form developed by the SAHOs in these states.

The app is now being used in: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Vermont, Indiana, Virginia and Tennessee. In addition, several additional states have expressed interest in using the app and are currently working with IIAD to actively enroll in the system.

“The app was designed to provide veterinary practitioners with an easy-to-use mobile application that truly expands their toolbox of capabilities,” said Tammy Beckham, IIAD director.

“The world is becoming increasingly more mobile,” said Keith Biggers, TCAT director for computing and information technology. “Having tools like iCVI can allow veterinary practitioners to handle and fill out these forms in a more convenient and expedited fashion even in the most remote settings.”

Through a touch-screen iPad interface, animal health certificates can be created and submitted, or, if no data connection is available, stored within the application for forwarding when available. In addition to the mobile interface, end-users have the ability to print paper-based forms directly from the app and automatically and/or manually import CVIs into state animal health information systems.

“The iCVI application is a great option for veterinarians whether they are computer savvy or rely primarily on traditional paper record keeping,” said Tahnee Szymanski, DVM, Montana assistant state veterinarian. “An attractive interface, ease of use, off-line capability, and electronic submissions are just a few of the many benefits of this application.”

Submitted CVIs can also be made available within AgConnect, IIAD’s suite of customizable data integration and analysis products. AgConnect is designed to enhance real-time animal health situational awareness, enable permissioned data sharing and support decision-making in the event of emerging, zoonotic and/or high consequence diseases.

“Success in protecting our livestock industries during a serious disease event is highly dependent on our ability to trace animal movement efficiently and integrate that knowledge with other critical information,” said Indiana state veterinarian Mr Bret D. Marsh, DVM. “The goal is to have accurate and complete data available in real time. The iCVI and AgConnect together represent a huge leap towards meeting this important need.”

IIAD is working closely with the state animal health officials and practicing veterinarians in participating states to refine and optimize the application as needed. As part of future efforts, IIAD intends to expand iCVI to operate on other mobile platforms.