When you’re fresh out of veterinary school, you’re laser-focused on one thing: practicing good medicine.
Between interpreting diagnostics, handling client communication, and simply finding your footing in a new career, thinking about practice management software (PIMS) is probably the last thing on your list. But the right PIMS can make veterinary life significantly easier, especially when you’re still figuring things out.
And an efficient PIMS – like Provet Cloud – helps you avoid mistakes, manage your workload, and focus on patient care by taking dreaded administrative tasks off your plate.
Here’s what new veterinarians should expect and demand from a PIMS, why it matters, and what to do if your current system isn’t meeting your needs.
No matter how much you prepare, starting in practice is a massive change with a steep learning curve. While honing your clinical skills, you’re also expected to manage cases efficiently and hit production goals. A user-friendly, intuitive PIMS can remove the guesswork from everyday practice and help new grads get on their feet faster.
In some cases, a new grad might even choose their first job based on the clinic's technology and conveniences over others in the area.
Dr. Dani Rabwin, founder of the veterinary mentoring company Ready Vet Go, put the expectations of new grads into perspective. “New veterinarians are encouraged to ramp up production quickly, but because of a lack of transparency, it’s hard for them to track their production,” Dr. Rabwin said. “A PIMS should have user-friendly tools that let new grads analyze their production so they can make changes. Understanding what they’re producing in a day, week, or month is critical.”
Here are the features that new grads should look for in a PIMS:
Understanding production is crucial for confidently meeting clinical and personal goals. A good PIMS should provide clear, easy-to-navigate analytics dashboards where you can run various production reports and identify opportunities for improvement.
Writing SOAP notes is arguably one of the most time-consuming tasks in a veterinarian’s day. Thankfully, AI can greatly simplify medical notes and record-keeping. “New grads need a PIMS with built-in AI or third-party AI integrations,” said Dr. Rabwin. “Using AI for SOAP notes is where the profession is moving.”
AI-assisted SOAP notes can help new grads save time with autofill, voice-to-text dictation, and intelligent documentation of client conversations. Provet Cloud integrates with popular programs like Dragon Veterinary and Talkatoo that ensure maximum functionality and intuitive use.
Explaining complex medical cases to pet owners is a skill that takes time to develop. Having pre-made templates for records and client communication provides a framework new grads can work from. Dr. Rabwin suggested that seasoned vets share their templates via the PIMS so new grads in their practice don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
New grads are under enough pressure – the last thing they need is a glitchy PIMS with inefficient processes that increase the chances of human error. A smart PIMS should help identify missing or incomplete information, generate and send automatic reminders, and integrate with third-party companies veterinarians rely on to do their jobs (e.g., outside laboratories, telehealth platforms, referral services).
As newcomes to the team, most new grads may limited ability to effect change. But if the current system is noticeably slow or adds unnecessary stress for you and others on the team, a new PIMS can help.
Here are some tips for approaching leadership about making a change:
Provet Cloud helps new grads focus on medicine
Ready to see how the right PIMS can make new grad vet life easier? Don’t settle for clunky, outdated software that holds you back.
Book a demo with our Provet Cloud team and discover how our intuitive, efficient system can help you focus on practicing great medicine and becoming the best vet you can be.