As artificial intelligence (AI) marches forward, veterinary professionals should consider how new technologies will impact practice operations and patient care. AI has limitations, but it has the potential to revolutionize the industry by streamlining workflows and minimizing errors.
With more time to focus on patients, veterinary professionals can rise to meet the growing demand for pet health care while improving work-life balance and mental health.
AI isn’t part of the distant future – it’s already here. Here are five of the most common current veterinary AI uses and what they could mean for the industry’s future.
1. AI in veterinary diagnostics
AI seems especially well-suited to veterinary diagnostics, including radiology and pathology. AI-driven diagnostic tools can learn from human veterinary pathologists, who train the programs to recognize patterns and anomalies in diagnostic images. AI radiology analysis provides an immediate second opinion, and AI-assisted cytology analyzers can view cells in three dimensions and provide unprecedented information in only minutes.
AI-powered diagnostic tools help veterinarians work through differentials and make diagnoses quickly and accurately, so they can see more patients and practice more confidently. As AI tools improve, we’ll likely see them detecting subtle patterns in clinical signs and laboratory results imperceptible to the human eye, providing a more focused diagnostic process and improving patient outcomes.
2. AI in veterinary surgery
AI and robotics have been used to perform highly technical human surgeries, and veterinary medicine will soon follow suit. While a robot performing our spays and neuters may seem far-fetched, AI can already assist surgeons in interpreting intra-operative imaging and planning procedures. Someday soon, we may see surgical and monitoring tools with built-in AI assistance.
In the future, AI could also help veterinarians predict the need for surgery, based on analysis of patient diagnostic data, signalment, history, and more. Advancements in surgical planning and intra-operative guidance could reduce recovery times and complications, improving patient outcomes, and enabling veterinarians to handle more complex cases.
3. AI in veterinary client engagement
Communication is the backbone of all relationships, including those that veterinary practices forge with their clients. Traditional communication methods and client engagement tactics are often time-consuming and tedious for veterinary professionals, who can never find enough time in a day. AI can automate everyday client interactions via email, text, and other digital channels. Its tools range from simple automated reminders to complex website chatbots and scheduling systems that assist client service teams in setting a new bar.
There will always be a time and place for in-person chats and phone calls, but as communication tools advance, AI may create more targeted and personalized client experiences. Plus, AI writing tools can craft client communications, newsletters, social media posts, and anything that requires a quick rough draft.
4. AI in veterinary practice management software
Record-keeping, while important, is the bane of all veterinary professionals. Manual charting and associated administrative tasks reduce efficiency during the workday and keep team members from getting home on time. So, it’s no surprise that AI records-transcription software, which can listen to an entire consult or communication and complete a SOAP note without missing a beat, is fast becoming popular. Can’t remember which patient had which problem at the end of the day? Don’t worry – AI wrote it down!
The possibilities for AI integrations in PIMS platforms are virtually endless. In the future, we’ll likely see AI assisting in all aspects of record-keeping, including summarizing years of health histories to reduce scrolling time, analyzing patterns and real-time wearable health data to forecast future health issues and personalize care recommendations, and improving note-taking capabilities.
5. AI and veterinary telemedicine
Telemedicine has the power to vastly improve access to veterinary care worldwide, and AI likely will play a role in its expansion. Telemedicine platforms can use AI chatbots to assist in patient screening and triage, allowing the tele-veterinarian to spend more time speaking with each pet owner during virtual visits. We may also see AI helping to analyze images and videos shared via telemedicine to provide more precise diagnoses and recommendations.
Key takeaways
- Whether you realize it or not, a number of AI tools are likely already changing your daily routines. Embracing this technology can help your practice operate more efficiently.
- AI’s full potential in veterinary medicine – and the world in general – has yet to be realized. Although we can speculate, we don’t truly know how vet med will look in the future, but we know that AI tools will most certainly be incorporated wherever possible.
- AI likely will revolutionize every aspect of veterinary healthcare, enabling personalized care, rapid and accurate diagnoses, advanced treatment options, streamlined workflows and, ideally, a better work-life balance for those in the trenches.
Provet Cloud is at the forefront of technology
Your veterinary practice management software choice influences how well your practice can grow and adapt in the age of AI. Provet Cloud offers a multitude of integrations, cloud-based flexibility, and emerging AI tools for tackling everyday tasks that currently slow you down.
✨ We’re excited to announce that a new AI-driven feature is on the horizon. Stay tuned for more details, or contact us to schedule a demo and learn how our innovative veterinary software can transform your practice.
