AI vs Human Scribes: What’s Best for Veterinary Practices?

Documentation is one of the biggest time drains in veterinary medicine. As clinics look for ways to work more efficiently, many are deciding between human scribes, AI scribes, or a mix of both. Each option has its strengths and its limitations. Let’s take a clear, practical look at how these approaches compare and what might work best for your clinic. ‍

Human Scribes

Human scribes have long been used to help veterinarians document visits in real time or shortly after appointments. ‍

Pros:

• Strong contextual understanding
• Ability to ask clarifying questions
• Familiar, human-driven workflow

Cons:

• Higher ongoing costs
• Scheduling and staffing challenges
• Limited scalability
• Slower turnaround times

Human scribes can work well in specific settings, but for many clinics, cost and availability become major hurdles over time.

AI Scribes

AI scribes, like VetRec, automatically generate medical notes from recorded consultations using veterinary-specific language and workflows. Learn more about how VetRec’s AI assistant works here.
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Pros:

• Notes generated in seconds
• Consistent, structured documentation
• Scales easily across teams and locations
• Lower long-term cost
• No staffing or scheduling issues

Cons:

• Requires an initial adjustment period
• Works best when templates are customized. See how to customize templates here.  

For many practices, AI scribes offer a faster, more sustainable way to reduce documentation burden without sacrificing quality.

The Hybrid Approach

Some clinics combine AI scribes with human review or oversight. AI handles the heavy lifting, while team members review, refine, or add nuance when needed.

This approach offers:

• Speed and efficiency from AI
• Confidence and control for clinicians
• Flexibility for complex cases

For many practices, this balance delivers the best of both worlds.

Summary: What’s Best for Your Clinic?

There’s no universal answer, the right choice depends on your clinic’s size, pace, and goals.

• Clinics seeking speed, scalability, and consistency often lean toward AI scribes.
• Practices needing high-touch, case-specific support may consider human scribes.
• Many teams start with AI and adjust as needed.

At VetRec, we’ve seen clinics dramatically reduce documentation time, improve record quality, and ease team burnout by adopting an AI-first approach built specifically for veterinary workflows. VetRec doesn’t replace clinical judgment; it supports it by handling documentation efficiently, integrating with existing systems, and adapting to how your team actually works. You can read more about how digital scribes work in veterinary medicine here.

Ready to explore smarter documentation?

👉 Book a demo and see how VetRec helps veterinary teams reclaim their time.