Veterinarians everywhere often spend extra hours finishing patient notes after the clinic closes, sometimes even logging in from home. While that dedication is truly admirable, it’s not something that can be sustained over time. It takes away valuable moments that could be spent resting, with family, or simply enjoying life outside of work. We noticed this same challenge within Doppler’s regional networks and knew it was time to find a better way.
That’s why we introduced ScribbleVet, an AI transcription tool designed to make SOAP note documentation faster, easier, and more efficient. Today, our veterinarians across all our networks are using ScribbleVet. It helps our teams work together more smoothly and ensures pet owners receive seamless care, no matter which clinic they visit.
“I use ScribbleVet every day at work, and it has truly transformed how I manage my medical records and communication. It has made my workflow more efficient, accurate and complete, allowing me to focus more on my clients and patients rather than worrying about missing details in my notes. I genuinely get excited every time a new update comes out because ScribbleVet continues to make my workday smoother and more enjoyable.” ~ Dr. Kendra May, Skyline Veterinary Clinic (Omaha Vets Group)
Why ScribbleVet?
“We saw vets remaining in the clinic well after closing time writing notes from the day’s visits,” says Karen Jefferson, Director of Hospital Systems/Technology, who helped lead the implementation. “Some were even working on records from home at night to catch up. We knew there had to be a better way—and an AI transcription tool could be it.”
The team evaluated several AI transcription options and selected ScribbleVet for its strong features, user-friendly design, and cost-effectiveness.
Rolling It Out: Champions Leading the Way
Change can be daunting, but in this case, we had champions paving the way. Drs. BJ Ravnsborg and Kendra May from Omaha Vets Group both stepped up, trialing ScribbleVet, working out the kinks, and becoming role models for other veterinarians.
“I was first introduced to ScribbleVet at VMXi 2024. It was immediately clear from the demo that this software was different from most dictation programs, and I was eager to give it a try. My initial apprehensions were quickly resolved after some simple trials in the clinic. However, getting buy-in from others was a bit of a challenge at first. It wasn’t until we did a mock appointment within our leadership team at OVG that things really took off. Once they saw ScribbleVet in action, it didn’t take long for the team to appreciate its capabilities.” ~ Dr. BJ Ravnsborg, Walnut Creek Veterinary Clinic (Omaha Vets Group)
The app is intuitive, allowing providers to choose how they interact with it, whether that’s using it live during the appointment or recording and uploading later. Transcripts are easily added into our hospital’s medical record system.
Making It Fit Our Workflow
ScribbleVet offers customization options, allowing each region to decide whether to use a standard, region-wide template or let individual veterinarians create their own. Choosing a region-wide configuration ensures every medical record follows the same format, whether a pet is seen by their regular veterinarian or at another hospital in their network, including the emergency hospital. This consistency means providers can quickly review and understand past records, clients experience seamless care across locations, and pets receive the same high standard of documentation no matter where they are treated.
Early Wins: More Time, More Focus
An initial survey of users showed veterinarians saving over an hour a day on average. That’s more time for additional appointments or to head home on time without a stack of unfinished notes.
Some vets noted that they could stay more present with the pet and client during the visit, rather than dividing their attention between the patient and the keyboard. And for clinics using ScribbleVet’s visit summary feature, clients benefit from timely, well-formatted post-visit emails.
“It allows me to focus on clients and their concerns without separating a part of my brain to remember to write things down. It allows my conversation with the clients to flow to get more information. I still write down bullet points and problems but I don’t worry QUITE so much about keeping the vomiting timeline straight or exactly when the diarrhea happened. It’s pretty helpful, because history taking and eliciting client concerns often isn’t a linear process.” ~ Dr. Jessica Kidd, Conyers Animal Hospital (All Care Veterinary Network, metro Atlanta)
Enhancing Client Communication
ScribbleVet strengthens communication with clients through post-appointment emails and Care Cards. Post-appointment emails provide a recap of the visit and are sent directly through the app, giving clients easy access to important details. Care Cards are available for patients who have had surgery or been hospitalized, offering discharge instructions tailored to each appointment and fully customizable to meet the needs of both the client and their pet.
“I love the care cards (they get sent home with surgeries or hospitalized patients) and the post appointment emails. They are well organized and well-written. They have made client communication so much easier.” ~ Dr. Laura Thomas, Wellspring Animal Hospital (All Care Veterinary Network, metro Atlanta)
What’s Next?
ScribbleVet has introduced a new clinic-based model that could bring even more benefits, like free accounts for technicians and an admin interface. Doppler is currently in discussions to explore this option across all regions without increasing costs.
ScribbleVet is both a quality-of-life improvement for our veterinarians and a quality-of-care improvement for our clients. By reducing after-hours work and letting vets focus more on the pet in front of them, we’re improving care, efficiency, and job satisfaction.