Vet surveys show fast tech adoption amid ongoing staffing strain

Veterinary medicine's technology story in 2026 is turning out to be more complicated, and more consequential, than a simple AI adoption headline. New survey data from Instinct Science show general practices rapidly adding digital tools, with 91% reporting they changed or adopted at least one new technology in the past year and 48% saying they now use AI in some capacity. But the same research found that staffing shortages, workload pressure, and client affordability concerns are still shaping day-to-day reality across practice types. (streetinsider.com)

The findings come as the profession has spent several years trying to balance post-pandemic workload, burnout, and a slow rebuilding of team stability. Instinct's March 2026 general practice report, based on 763 veterinary professionals, describes a field that is no longer debating whether digital change is coming, but figuring out how to work with it. In parallel, Instinct's third annual specialty, emergency, and urgent care survey found staffing shortages were still the top challenge, cited by 85% of respondents, up from 78% the prior year. That increase matters because it suggests hiring progress hasn't fully caught up with clinical demand. (instinct.vet)

The details help explain why. In general practice, AI use is centered on administrative and clinical support functions rather than autonomous care, with medical record and SOAP note creation leading adoption and diagnostic assistance also gaining traction. Nearly three-quarters of AI users said the tools made them more efficient. In specialty and emergency settings, respondents said digital treatment sheets had the biggest efficiency impact, followed by cloud-based practice management software and AI scribes, which Instinct said posted the largest jump in adoption since 2024. More than half of specialty and emergency respondents said technology reduced treatment or diagnostic errors, and one in four said it helped capture additional revenue. (streetinsider.com)

There are also signs that practice culture is changing alongside the tech stack. Fewer than 10% of general practices in the Instinct survey still operate on a traditional full-time fixed schedule. Instead, 40% offer part-time roles and 25% have shifted to a four-day work week. That suggests flexibility is increasingly being used as a retention strategy, not just a benefit. It also aligns with the broader digital transition documented by AVMA: in its 2025 economic report, 76.5% of represented practices said they had practice management software in place in 2024, 59.9% used client communication software integrated with PIMS, and 29.2% used telehealth. (streetinsider.com)

Outside commentary points in the same direction, though with some caution. AAHA reported in 2024 that nearly 40% of veterinary professionals were already using AI tools, with Sebastian Gabor of Digitail saying it was too early to call AI ready for universal implementation, but clear that it already had viable use cases. That framing is useful here: the newest Instinct data don't show a profession handing over clinical judgment to algorithms, but one selectively deploying tools where documentation burden, communication friction, and workflow bottlenecks are most painful. (aaha.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the real shift may be that technology adoption is no longer the story by itself. The more important development is the profession's attempt to use software, AI scribes, cloud systems, and scheduling flexibility to absorb pressure that staffing alone hasn't solved. That creates opportunities, especially in recordkeeping efficiency, revenue capture, and error reduction, but it also raises practical questions around training, integration, governance, and return on investment. AVMA's data suggest most practice leaders think the pace of digital transformation is about right, yet time, cost, and knowledge gaps still hold some back. (ebusiness.avma.org)

There's also a strategic implication for hospitals and clinics deciding where to invest next. If client financial limitations are now a top pressure point, as Instinct found in specialty and emergency care, then tools that improve workflow without adding friction for teams or pet parents may be more attractive than broad, expensive technology rollouts. In that sense, the survey results support a narrower, more operational view of innovation: practices appear to be rewarding tools that save time, support consistency, and help teams stay in place. (streetinsider.com)

What to watch: The next phase will likely center on proof, not promise, specifically whether AI scribes, cloud platforms, and other workflow tools can deliver measurable retention, efficiency, and care-quality gains as 2026 unfolds, and whether practices formalize clearer oversight for how those tools are selected and used. (streetinsider.com)