Veterinary Tools: Digital Tools for Medical Record Keeping and Clinic Administration

When a veterinary clinic evaluates digital tools, it needs to consider the entire workflow. The medical record system collects patient information and operational data, while other solutions can handle tasks such as scheduling, medical record documentation, or knowledge search.

The needs differ between a small practice and a larger clinic. A smaller practice may prioritize simple administration and minimal system changes. A larger organization may require more access levels and support for multiple departments, units, or user groups.

Six Categories of Veterinary Tools

The following tools cover various aspects of the clinic's operations. They can be part of the same clinic system or used as separate solutions that are integrated with one another.

Medical record systems and PMSs store the clinic’s core patient data and medical records. A PMS can also support other business processes, depending on the scope of the system. Learn more in Medical Record Systems for Veterinarians.
Appointment scheduling and customer communication help the clinic plan visits and provide practical information to pet owners. This can reduce the need for manual processing over the phone or through separate messaging channels.
Payment solutions manage the clinic’s payment flows and financial records. The integration with other systems affects how much information staff need to enter manually.
Inventory management provides control over the clinic’s supplies and inventory levels. The clinic needs to assess how the inventory system exchanges information with purchasing, payment, and the clinic’s other processes.
Documentation support helps veterinarians with medical record-keeping. An AI-based tool can listen to the consultation or record the veterinarian’s dictation and convert the content into a draft medical record for the veterinarian to review.
Knowledge search and clinical support help veterinarians find relevant information in more complex cases, such as in evidence-based sources and research articles. Such tools provide a basis for decision-making, but the clinical assessment is always made by the veterinarian.

Journaling systems and AI-powered tools serve different purposes

The medical records system is the central hub for patient and medical records management. An AI-based documentation tool has a more limited role: to generate a draft medical record that the veterinarian reviews and that is then entered into the medical records system.

This difference affects how the tools should be evaluated. For a PMS, the clinic needs to assess how the organization’s data and workflows are managed. For a documentation tool, the evaluation focuses primarily on the quality of the draft medical records and how they fit into the existing medical record system.

There are also different ways to use AI to assist with documentation. An AI scribe listens to the entire consultation, while AI dictation relies on the veterinarian speaking their notes aloud. The differences are described in “What Is an AI Scribe?” and “AI Dictation for Veterinary Records.”

Here's what the workflow looks like with AI-powered medical record-keeping

Regardless of the tool used, the workflow must be clear from the consultation to the signed medical record entry. The consultation is documented according to the clinic’s procedures; the tool generates a draft of the medical record; and the veterinarian reviews, corrects, and signs it before the record is finalized. AI support never takes over the veterinarian’s responsibility for the medical record entry.

The clinic also needs to decide what to do if the draft requires extensive revisions, and to have a backup procedure for situations where the tool cannot be used. The entire workflow and what needs to be reviewed are described in “AI-Based Medical Record Keeping for Veterinarians.”

Checklist for Choosing Veterinary Software

When comparing different solutions, the same questions should be asked of each vendor. The answers also need to be evaluated in light of the clinic’s actual practices.

Compatibility with the existing PMS: How is the draft medical record transferred to the clinic's current system, and does the workflow require manual copying?
Quality of medical record drafts: Does the draft accurately reflect the consultation, and how much editing is required before signing?
Adaptation to Swedish: Does the tool support Swedish veterinary terminology and the clinic’s preferred medical record structure?
Permissions: Can access be restricted based on user role, job function, or organizational affiliation?
Security: What technical and organizational safeguards does the vendor describe, and how can the clinic verify them?
Data Storage: Where is the data stored, how long is it retained, and how is deletion or export handled?
Support: What are the contact options and response times when users need help or when the service isn't working?
Training: What kind of orientation do users receive, and are there training materials available for new employees after implementation?
Cost: Which users or features are included? Are there any additional fees? And are prices listed including or excluding VAT?
Practical trial period: Can the solution be tested in day-to-day operations before the clinic decides on a broader rollout?

The clinic should also review the terms of the agreement and the notice period. If the use of the tool requires special equipment or changes to work procedures, this must also be included in the cost estimate. How an AI tool can be integrated with a medical records system is described in “How to Integrate Vetz with Your Medical Records System.”

Questions About Data Security and Privacy

During a consultation, various types of information may be involved. Before implementing an AI tool, the clinic needs to understand the entire flow of information and document who is responsible for each part.

The following questions should be answered in writing prior to a pilot project or procurement process.

What information does the tool collect from the consultation and the user account?
Where are audio files, transcriptions, and draft records processed and stored?
How long is the data retained, and how is it deleted once the retention period has expired?
How is user access managed, and how are changes to access permissions tracked?
Does the provider use the information for any purpose other than providing the service?
Which subcontractors process data, and where does their processing or storage take place?
How are security incidents handled, and how is the clinic notified if an incident occurs?
What procedures does the clinic itself need to implement for review, signing, handling of deviations, providing information to pet owners, and closing user accounts?

The responses must be evaluated based on the clinic’s own requirements and applicable regulations. In case of uncertainty, the organization should seek guidance from the person responsible for data protection or information security.

Gradual implementation without disrupting patient flow

A new documentation tool should first be tested on a limited scale. This will allow the clinic to identify workflow issues before expanding to include more users and types of consultations.

Assess the current situation by following the medical record process from consultation to the completed and signed medical record entry.
Select a specific group of pilot users who work with the tool frequently enough to provide useful feedback.
Determine what will be measured before the pilot begins—for example, the time from the end of a consultation to a signed medical record, and the amount of editing required for the drafts.
Review the quality of a predetermined sample of draft medical records and document recurring errors or steps that result in duplicate work.
Adjust the procedures based on the results of the pilot and clarify responsibilities, review steps, support channels, training materials, and contingency procedures.
Expand use gradually following a documented decision, and continue to monitor both the time required and the quality of the records.

In a smaller practice, the pilot may involve a limited number of consultations and users. A larger clinic may need to conduct separate pilots for different departments or workflows before establishing a common approach. Where time savings typically occur is described in “Save Time with AI for Veterinarians.”

Vetz as a complement to the medical records system

Vetz is an AI tool for veterinary clinics that works alongside the clinic’s existing medical record system, not in place of it. The clinic’s PMS continues to manage core patient and operational data.

Vetz listens during the conversation with the pet owner and creates a structured draft of the medical record. The veterinarian can also dictate the medical record instead of typing it. The drafts follow the clinic’s own medical record templates, and the veterinarian reviews and approves the text before it is transferred to the medical record system. Once the integration is active, the transfer takes place with the push of a button, without any manual copying. Vetz integrates with most major medical record systems via the systems’ APIs or export and import functions, and the integration is encrypted and compliant with the GDPR.

In addition to medical record keeping, Vetz includes features such as searches for information in evidence-based sources, suggestions for diagnosis codes, discharge instructions generated from the medical record, and billing suggestions. Vetz can be used in a web browser or as an app on iPhone and Android, and supports more than ten languages. More information about the features is available on the Vetz Features page and in “How Vetz Works.”

The questions regarding data storage, subcontractors, and retention periods in the checklist above should be directed to Vetz—as well as to other vendors—prior to entering into a contract.

The decision should be based on the clinic's own workflow

Once the clinic has mapped out its administrative processes, it becomes easier to determine which tools need to work together. A PMS can manage the core medical records and operational information, while separate solutions support other work processes.

The assessment should be based on a practical test with real users and a defined review process. In all cases, the veterinarian must have control over the final medical record entry and its signature. Vetz offers a free 14-day trial, and clinics that want to see how the tool fits into their workflow can schedule a demonstration.