AI Scribes in Veterinary Medicine

By Dr Adele Williams-Xavier BVSc MRCVS DipECEIM PhD

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The administrative weight of clinical documentation is one of the least visible but most significant pressures in veterinary medicine. Notes must be thorough, legally defensible, and communicative, yet typing them consumes valuable time and often pushes work into evenings or weekends. Many veterinarians will recognise the fatigue of staying late to “finish notes.” AI scribes offer a powerful potential solution: they capture conversations during consultations and generate structured, editable notes. Done well, this technology can free clinicians to focus on patients and clients while ensuring records are accurate, consistent, and comprehensive.

From Dictation to Intelligent Documentation

An AI scribe is more than a voice-to-text tool. By using natural language processing and large language models, scribes filter out irrelevant small talk and organise essential clinical information into structured notes, such as SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan). Output can usually be tailored: some clinicians prefer concise bullet points, others want fuller narrative notes. Advanced scribes act more like a co-pilot, or a virtual personal assistant, with advanced capabilities such as generating referral letters, itemised billing, discharge instructions in lay terms, or even multilingual summaries. Copilots can also provide clinical insight and support, with links to scientific evidence sources. These features extend their usefulness beyond raw transcription into a full documentation partner.

Why This Matters for Practice

The benefits are tangible. Clinicians can maintain eye contact with clients rather than facing a screen. Consultations become more personal, improving trust and communication. Rather than taking mental notes and having to type-up later, by verbalising thoughts at the time of the consult, 100% of a vet’s focus can be on patient care. Time previously spent typing is reclaimed, sometimes allowing vets to finish their days on time. Structured notes enhance continuity of care by avoiding sparse records on one end of the spectrum or overly long, unsearchable records on the other. For staff turnover or multi-clinician practices, the clarity this provides can be invaluable.

Human healthcare studies reinforce these advantages. A systematic review of AI scribes found consistent improvements in documentation efficiency and clinician satisfaction, though effects on burnout were variable (Lynch et al., 2025). In a blinded study of 97 patient visits, ambient AI notes were judged nearly equivalent in quality to human-written notes, scoring 4.20 versus 4.25 on a validated instrument (Ahsan et al., 2025). It’s important to remember here that while the notes were perhaps at best on par, the mental energy and time saved can put into more beneficial tasks during a consultation. Other research has shown that clinicians spend less time per note once scribes are introduced, even as note length and detail increase (Balu et al., 2025). For veterinary leaders, these findings suggest that AI scribes can deliver meaningful time savings and richer records without sacrificing quality.

Risks and Responsibilities

The power of large language models comes with caveats. These systems can “hallucinate,” inventing plausible-sounding but incorrect details. A scribe might suggest a management step or diagnosis that the vet never stated. It is worth noting however, that the general model advancements are making hallucinations less and less frequent as improvements are made to them. Clinicians must always review and approve notes before they enter the permanent medical record. Records are legal documents, and accuracy should not be delegated.

Data protection is another responsibility. Audio recordings and transcripts constitute personal data, and regulations such as GDPR (UK/EU) or HIPAA (US) apply. Practices must establish clear consent procedures; whether by asking at the start of each consult, displaying notices, or incorporating consent into registration documents. Client expectations around recording need careful management.

Finally, in early 2025 NHS England classified AI scribes in human medicine as medical devices. This reflects their role in shaping records and sometimes suggesting clinical content. Although veterinary medicine lacks parallel regulation, vets and practice leaders should act as though the same standards apply: choose compliant tools, train teams thoroughly, and implement regular audits. It is important to check for general data protection regulation (GDDR) and international standard on Information Security Management Systems (ISMS; ISO 27001) compliance, to ensure that personal data is protected and cyber secure. Health insurance portability and accountability Act (HIPPA), and Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) are USA equivalent compliance regulations that could also be useful to look for.

What to Look for in a Good AI Scribe

Not all scribes are created equal. Leadership teams should weigh several criteria when evaluating options:

● Veterinary involvement in development: Tools shaped by clinicians are more likely to anticipate real-world challenges than those created purely by tech teams.

● Customisable templates: The ability to tailor SOAP formats, detail levels, or output styles ensures notes match the needs of different clinicians and specialties.

● Responsive support: As many providers are start-ups, glitches are inevitable. A strong support team ensures downtime or errors do not compromise care. Output flexibility: Tools that can generate branded PDFs, concise discharge instructions in lay language, or referral letters save time and improve client communication.

● Data security and compliance: Encryption, secure storage, and transparent policies on how recordings are handled are essential. Integration transparency: Claims of “working with any PMS” should be tested. True integration via APIs is rare; many solutions simply allow copy-paste or browser extensions.

● Decision support with control: Some scribes offer optional differentials or treatment suggestions; these should be toggleable and clearly referenced, keeping final responsibility with the clinician.

● Connectivity resilience: Ambulatory vets often face patchy internet access; a good scribe should function offline or buffer data until reconnection.

By framing selection around these elements, practice leaders position themselves to choose tools that genuinely reduce burden while safeguarding patients and staff.

Real-World Impact

Early veterinary users already report improved efficiency, with clinicians leaving on time instead of staying late for notes, and clients receiving clearer, faster communication. Anecdotal reports of higher levels of customer satisfaction are also frequently reported. The use of advanced copilots to summarise case information from a long PDF history into easily digestible notes is helping create better workflow between vets and even between teams. Studies in human healthcare echo this: AI scribes are associated with good quality notes, greater clinician satisfaction, and, in some cases, reduced burnout (Tuli et al., 2025). Yet challenges remain; reviewing notes still takes time, occasional errors arise, and technology can fail. The right choice of vendor and structured rollout plan makes the difference between a frustrating trial and a successful adoption.

Leading the Adoption Journey

Introducing an AI scribe is not simply a technology purchase; it is a cultural change. Practices can support success by:

● Defining metrics: Decide how success will be measured, (e.g. time saved, staff satisfaction, client feedback) and track these from the start.

● Engaging early adopters: Identify “AI champions” to test tools and share positive experiences.

● Providing training: Ensure everyone, from vets to reception staff, knows how to use the tool and their responsibilities.

● Listening to feedback: Create channels for concerns and suggestions, and respond proactively.

● Reviewing regularly: The market is evolving rapidly; reassess tools periodically and remain open to alternatives.

Table outlining some of the pros and cons of AI scribes:

Pros	Cons / Risks
Frees up clinician time during consults by reducing or eliminating typing.	Requires review and correction; AI may misinterpret or “hallucinate” details.
Improves client communication: clinicians can maintain eye contact and engagement.	Adds responsibility for data protection and client consent management.
Produces structured notes (e.g., SOAP) that aid case continuity and team collaboration.	Integration with PMS may be limited; often only copy-paste rather than full API links.
Some can generate additional documents quickly (referral letters, discharge instructions, branded PDFs).	Dependence on technology; errors, downtime, or poor internet connectivity can disrupt workflow.
Some offer optional advanced features: billing lists, differential diagnoses, multilingual output.	Not a substitute for clinical judgement; differentials or suggestions must be vetted by the clinician.
Potential to reduce after-hours admin, improving wellbeing and staff retention.	Some solutions are immature or not developed with vets; and level of customer support varies widely.
Provides an audio record that may help with dispute resolution and training.	Regulatory status in veterinary medicine is unclear; responsibility remains with the vet.
Some can be customised to fit the style and preferences of individual clinicians.	Initial training and change management required to ensure adoption and confidence.

Conclusion

AI scribes are poised to become a cornerstone of veterinary practice, not as a replacement for clinicians but as an assistant that reduces documentation burden, improves record quality, and strengthens communication. For veterinary leaders, the responsibility is to choose wisely: ensure compliance, keep humans in the loop, and prioritise features that match the realities of practice. By doing so, practices can unlock gains in efficiency, staff wellbeing, and client trust, while future-proofing themselves for a rapidly evolving profession.

References

Ahsan, H., Li, Y., Wang, R., Ouyang, J., Meystre, S.M. and Singh, K., 2025. Evaluation of clinical note quality authored by ambient AI scribes. arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.17047. Available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.17047 [Accessed 15 September 2025].

Balu, A., Chen, J., Shen, H., Snyder, A., Wang, T., Xu, H. and Peng, Y., 2025. Impact of ambient AI scribes on clinical note-taking time and length. arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.13879. Available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.13879 [Accessed 15 September 2025].

Lynch, J., Tuli, G., McKay, C., et al., 2025. AI scribes in healthcare: a systematic review of efficiency, usability, and burnout outcomes. Healthcare, 13(12), p.1447. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/12/1447 [Accessed 15 September 2025].

Tuli, G., Berwick, H., Patel, R. and McKay, C., 2025. Usability and effectiveness of AI scribes in primary care: survey study. JMIR Human Factors, 12(1), e71434. Available at: https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e71434 [Accessed 15 September 2025].

About CoVet

We are a team of veterinary professionals, the children of veterinarians, and dedicated technologists who share a common belief: veterinarians should be able to spend more time caring for patients and less time on paperwork. Having witnessed firsthand the burnout that plagues the profession, we identified the root cause: administrative overload. Staying on top of documentation is a relentless challenge, one that takes time away from patient care and self-care.

So we asked ourselves: What if we could automate medical record drafting, transcribe consultations, generate PDF medical history summaries, and streamline client communication? The answer was clear. By reducing the administrative burden, we empower veterinary teams to focus on what truly matters—delivering exceptional patient care.

Find out more: https://www.co.vet/