Free Software for Veterinary Practices: What You Can Try for Free

Many veterinarians in Germany who are opening their own practice or running a small clinic are looking for software they can use for free. There are two types of software to distinguish between when you’re searching, and which one you need determines what questions you should ask the provider.

Medical record system or AI-assisted medical record keeping

The practice's medical record system manages patient records along with appointment scheduling and billing. This is where the records are stored and where the practice generates its invoices, so it's a program you rarely switch from.

The second type of program writes the medical record text itself. Vetz is one such AI scribe that listens to the conversation with the pet owner, creates a structured draft of the medical record, and sends the completed record to the medical record system the practice already uses. If you’d like to learn more about what an AI scribe does, there’s an overview in the article “What Is an AI Scribe?”

Questions for the provider before patient data is entered

Free software can be a good way to get started, but medical records and pet owners’ information must be protected equally well regardless of price. Ask each provider the following questions before your practice begins using the service.

  • Where is the data stored, and in which country are the servers located?
  • Which subprocessors are used to store or process the data?
  • How long are the medical records kept, and what happens to them if the practice terminates the contract?
  • Can all medical records be exported in a format that another system can import?
  • What features are included for free, and how much does it cost once the trial period or free tier ends?

Try Vetz for free for 14 days

You can try Vetz for free for 14 days without providing any credit card information. You log in through your web browser and can get started right away, since no download or installation is required. Vetz is also available as an app for iPhone and Android for those who prefer to work from their phone.

A consultation with Vetz: From the initial call to the signed medical record

The trial period gives you the opportunity to follow real consultations all the way through to the completed medical record.

  1. When the conversation with the pet owner begins, activate Vetz, which listens while you examine the animal.
  2. Vetz interprets the conversation in real time, understands who is saying what, and uses your templates to create the notes.
  3. Within seconds of the call, a structured draft medical record using correct medical terminology is ready to be reviewed.
  4. You review the draft, make changes by hand, or ask Vetz to rephrase the text, and then sign the medical record.
  5. Based on that same note, Vetz can generate discharge instructions for the pet owner and suggest what to charge.

You always have control over the note, and you can edit it manually or with the help of AI before saving it.

Language and Dictation

Vetz supports more than ten languages for writing and dictation, and more languages are being added on an ongoing basis. Use the trial period to test dictation and medical record drafts in German during your own consultations, so you can see how it works with your practice’s patients and their dialects. Vetz is trained to handle a wide range of linguistic variation and can manage different dialects and accents. For more information on how voice-controlled medical record-keeping works, visit the page on AI dictation.

Integration with the practice's medical records system

Vetz integrates with Provet Cloud, Vettigo, and MHK FileMaker. With an active integration, appointments are automatically displayed in Vetz, and the completed medical record is sent back, so no one needs to transfer the text manually. If your practice uses a different system, you can ask Vetz if it’s already supported; if not, it’s possible to build an integration with most medical record systems. The technical details of how the integration works are described in the article about Vetz and your medical record system.

Charges in accordance with the fee schedule

In Germany, veterinarians’ fees are governed by a regulation, the Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte (GOT). According to Section 1 of the regulation, compensation for veterinarians’ professional services is determined by the GOT, and this also applies when the services are provided by a company. The fees listed in the regulation’s fee schedule are specified as the basic rate, and, according to Section 1, lower fees may only be agreed upon or charged in the cases listed in Section 5 of the regulation.

Vetz can suggest what should be billed based on the contents of the medical record. Ask the provider how the suggestions align with the fee schedule the practice uses, and verify the suggestions against it before sending the invoice.

Data Protection

Vetz explains that integration with the medical records system is encrypted and GDPR-compliant. More information about security measures is available on the security page, and the article on AI and the GDPR for veterinarians outlines what practices should keep in mind. Be sure to request written answers regarding where the data is stored and how long it is retained before you use Vetz or any other service in a live environment.

Vetz also recommends that you inform the pet owner that AI is being used to assist with the medical record entry, and Vetz can provide a suggested wording.

Learn more about Vetz

Would you like to see how Vetz fits into your practice’s workflow before you start the trial period? Schedule a demo, and we’ll show you how Vetz works with your templates and your medical records system. More features are described on the Features page.