31 Spring 2026 | Animal Health Solutions
TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION,
PRACTICES SHOULD FOLLOW THESE
CORE PRINCIPLES:
Emphasize clinician control
Ambient listening tools can draft, but a trained
veterinarian must always finalize the record. Establish
policies to ensure proper review procedures. "In most
practices, this means everyone reviewing and editing
all records created for them by ambient listening tech,"
Dr. Welborn notes.
Train the entire team
While only clinicians can approve AI drafts, the
output can benefit everyone on your team. Be sure to
include clinicians, technicians, and customer service
representatives (CSRs), so everyone understands how
the system works.
Start slow
Evaluate current workflows to identify bottlenecks.
Then test the new system with small groups to refine
workflows before rolling it out to the entire team.
Prioritize transparency
Be transparent with clients and staff. Briefly explain
the technology, including the benefits to patient care,
before you use it. Consider posting a simple notice in
the waiting and exam rooms.
"A phased rollout starting with early-adopter advocates,
defined documentation standards, and measurable goals
is more likely to result in smoother adoption and better
long-term outcomes," Dr. Welborn says.
"Most practices should plan for several hours of structured
training and a few weeks of workflow adjustment as
veterinarians and other team members learn to narrate exams/
charting naturally and review AI-generated notes efficiently."
How Covetrus
Pulse Leverages
Ambient Listening
Covetrus Pulse now includes ambient listening
AI capabilities built right into its all-in-one
veterinary operating system.
This seamless integration helps support
every touchpoint in the clinic from pre-visit to
post-appointment.
PULSE AI PROVIDES:
Pre-visit summaries
Editable SOAP notes
Treatment plans
Editable post-visit summaries and
aftercare instructions for clients
Suggested scripts for client communications
What that means for practices:
REDUCED
Time spent on documentation
Need for after-hours charting
Recordkeeping-related burnout
IMPROVED
Record accuracy and consistency
Appointment efficiency
Timely discharge
Continuity of care
Job satisfaction
Team collaboration
Client engagement during appointments
PLUS, practices using Covetrus AI features
embedded in Pulse report saving an average
of six hours per week per vet.*
Find out more
*Covetrus internal usage data, 2025
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
JACKIE BROWN is a journalist based in California who has an
extensive background in pet health. She worked in veterinary
hospitals throughout high school and college, before joining the staff
of the veterinary trade publication Veterinary Practice News as an
assistant editor. Since then, she has covered a wide variety of pet
health topics, including general care, nutrition, grooming, behavior,
training, rescue and animal welfare, lifestyle, breeding and showing,
dog sports and activities, and the human-animal bond. This author is
a paid consultant for Covetrus
®
.
1. Gabor S, Danylenko G, Voegeli B. Familiarity with artificial intelligence drives
optimism and adoption among veterinary professionals: 2024 survey. Am J Vet Res.
2025;86(S1):S63-S69. Published 2025 Feb 11. doi:10.2460/ajvr.24.10.0293
