Veterinary surveys show fast tech adoption, slower staffing relief

Veterinary practices are adopting digital tools faster than many expected, but the workforce strain behind that shift hasn’t gone away. New 2026 survey findings from Instinct Science show that 91% of general practices adopted or changed at least one technology in the past year, and 48% now use AI in some form, most often for medical records, SOAP notes, and diagnostic support. At the same time, Instinct’s specialty, emergency, and urgent care survey found staffing shortages remain the top challenge, cited by 85% of respondents, even as more hospitals added full-time staff in 2025. The same data suggests workplace models are changing, too: fewer than 10% of general practices still use a traditional fixed full-time schedule, while part-time roles and four-day work weeks are becoming more common. (globenewswire.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway is that technology is being used less as a novelty and more as a pressure valve. Instinct says nearly three-quarters of general practice AI users report efficiency gains, and specialty and emergency respondents linked new tools to better workflow, patient care, and fewer treatment or diagnostic errors. But the surveys also show tech adoption isn’t solving the core labor problem on its own. Retention, scheduling flexibility, compensation, and client affordability pressures are still shaping daily operations, which means practice leaders may need to think about AI and digital systems as support infrastructure, not a substitute for staffing strategy. That framing also aligns with earlier AAHA-Digitail survey data showing AI use in veterinary medicine was already approaching 40% in 2024, suggesting the current shift is part of a broader, sustained adoption curve rather than a one-off spike. (globenewswire.com)

What to watch: Expect closer scrutiny of which tools actually reduce documentation burden, improve retention, and help practices stay financially resilient as client spending remains under pressure through 2026. (aaha.org)