5 Questions Veterinary Teams Should Ask Before Adopting an AI Scribe
Sponsored by ScribbleVet
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used across veterinary medicine for documentation, client communication, image interpretation, diagnostics, and clinical decision support.1 AI scribes are one example, listening during appointments or capturing dictation to generate medical record drafts. They can help reduce paperwork, free up more time for patients, and cut down on records needing team member attention at the end of the day, but those benefits depend on how well the tool actually performs in real-world veterinary practice. A poor fit may add steps, introduce new risks, and still leave team members charting after hours. An AI scribe’s value depends on whether it is accurate, fits the practice’s workflow, and keeps veterinary professionals in control.
That is why veterinary practices should consider these 5 questions before choosing an AI scribe.
1. Was the Tool Built for Veterinary Medicine?
A single veterinary appointment may include discussion of examination findings, medication changes, diagnostic decisions, client concerns, and financial limitations. Whether the scribe is listening during the appointment or being used for dictation afterward, it needs to understand veterinary-specific terminology and context.
A general-purpose AI scribe might confuse azathioprine with azithromycin, miss the “dis” in discontinue, or misinterpret “OD” during an ophthalmologic examination. A tool that has not been developed or tested for veterinary use may struggle with these kinds of details.
Vendors should explain what the tool was designed to do, how veterinary professionals contributed to its development or testing, and where its limitations lie. Practices should ask whether it has been tested with complicated patient histories, interruptions, and veterinary-specific terminology.
2. How Accurate Is the Output?
In a 2024 survey of 3,968 veterinary professionals, 70.3% cited the reliability and accuracy of AI systems as a concern.1
Even a fluent, well-structured note may omit a relevant detail or include information that does not accurately reflect what was said during the appointment or the clinician’s dictation. Because the output can still sound convincing, it may encourage automation bias or the tendency to trust automated output despite conflicting information.2
The vendor should explain how accuracy is measured, what types of cases were included in testing, and where errors are most likely to occur. The tool should also make it easy to review, edit, and verify a note before it becomes part of the medical record.
3. What Happens to Practice & Client Data?
Veterinary records may include client names, contact information, medical histories, and private conversations. Vendors should clearly explain how that information is collected, stored, processed, and retained.
Practices should ask where recordings and notes are stored, whether information is encrypted, for how long it is retained, whether practice data are used to train models, and which third parties may access it. They should also ask whether the scribe operates within a closed, secure system or sends information to an open AI platform.2
A broad statement that data are secure is not enough. Vendors should provide details about security controls, independent reviews, and what happens to data when an account is closed. If appointments are recorded, the vendor should also explain how the tool supports client notification, consent documentation, and situations in which a client does not consent to use of the AI tool.
4. Does the Tool Fit the Practice’s Workflow?
An AI scribe can add more work if notes need heavy editing, templates do not match the way clinicians document, or records have to be moved into the practice information management system manually.
Vendors should explain how the tool identifies the correct patient and appointment, how the note moves into the medical record, and whether information must be entered more than once.
Practices should also ask whether templates can be adjusted for different clinicians, specialties, and appointment types and whether the tool supports the number of users and locations the practice needs.
5. Are the Vendor’s Claims & Safeguards Clear?
Guidance for veterinary AI is still developing, and standardized benchmarking for veterinary AI tools remains limited.2 Vendors should be able to explain their claims and support them with evidence.
Practices should ask what the product does, what it should not be used for, how its performance was evaluated, and where human review is required. They should also look for transparency around limitations, changes to features or data policies, and how concerns are reported and resolved.
Put the Tool to the Test
A vendor demonstration can show what an AI scribe is designed to do, but a trial puts it to work in the realities of a busy day, with back-to-back appointments, interruptions, medication changes, phone calls, and complex cases.
During the trial, the practice should compare accuracy, editing, and review time; record completion time; and determine whether the tool actually reduces documentation work across the team.
Download the free AI Scribe Evaluation Checklist and use it throughout your trial of an AI tool to keep key evaluation criteria and results in one place.
A Veterinary-Specific Option
ScribbleVet is an AI-powered scribe built specifically for veterinary medicine. It records appointments, phone calls, and dictation, then generates a detailed medical record for review.
ScribbleVet has achieved System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 type 2 compliance, which means an independent auditor has reviewed how the company protects customer data over time. Recordings and notes are encrypted both during transmission and while stored. Veterinary-specific models, customizable templates, and integrations with multiple practice information management systems help ScribbleVet accommodate different clinicians and appointment types while keeping veterinary professionals in control of the final record.
Start your free 14-day trial and see how much time your practice can save on documentation.
