Artificial intelligence (AI) offers opportunities for veterinary practices to revolutionise the way they operate. Implementing AI-enabled vet tech could help enhance animal care, streamline operations and improve overall efficiency. However, as with all new tech, it comes with risks that need to be carefully managed.
Veterinary practices looking to use AI should adopt safeguards. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is working on developing guidance for the proper use of AI in veterinary practice, focusing on ensuring that AI tools are used responsibly and ethically. Once it has finalised its guidance, it would be useful for the RCVS to collaborate with AI providers in the development of tools.
The California Veterinary Medical Association has already adopted a comprehensive policy on the use of AI in veterinary medicine and this offers useful insights while we wait for the RCVS to catch up.
What are the opportunities?
- Enhanced diagnostics and treatment: AI-powered diagnostic tools can analyse X-rays and MRIs and identify issues before the veterinarian looks at them. This could be of help in busy, larger practices or those using a centralised or outsourced imaging team. AI might detect abnormalities missed by the human eye or might identify patterns across the images that indicate specific diseases. It can allow vets to provide better targeted treatments
- Predictive analytics: AI can analyse vast amounts of data to predict disease outbreaks and identify trends in animal health in the UK or local area. By monitoring data from veterinary records and environmental issues, AI can help veterinarians anticipate and prevent the spread of diseases, by warning its clients and starting vaccination programmes
- Personalised plans: AI can help create personalised treatment plans for individual animals based on their unique health profiles. By considering factors such as age, breed, medical history and genetic information, AI can recommend tailored treatment options
- Remote monitoring: AI can analyse data from wearable devices and sensors to provide real-time health updates, allowing veterinarians to intervene promptly if any issues arise. This is particularly beneficial for animal owners in remote areas or those with limited access to veterinary care
- Operational efficiency: AI can automate administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling, billing and inventory management. This reduces the workload on staff, allowing them to focus more on patient care. AI-powered chatbots can handle routine inquiries from animal owners, providing quick and accurate responses
Addressing the risks
As with all technology, use of AI comes with risks, and it is important to assess and address those risks by implementing a policy with suitable safeguards.
- Data privacy and security: the use of AI in veterinary technology involves the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, including sensitive information about animals and their owners. Veterinary practices must implement robust security measures to protect the privacy and security of clients and to prevent unauthorised access and misuse
- Reliability and accuracy: while AI can enhance diagnostic accuracy, it is not infallible. There is a risk of false positives or negatives which could lead to incorrect treatments. Veterinarians must continue to be responsible for making decisions and establishing treatment plans and not allow AI to replace their professional judgement and clinical expertise
- Ethics: veterinary practices need to strike the right balance to ensure animals are cared for responsibly and that their owners are able to interact with humans. AI should not make diagnoses and treatment decisions without human interaction. Veterinary practitioners should consider whether it is appropriate to obtain consent from clients about the use of AI tools
- Training and education: automating tasks through AI may give staff concerns about job security. While it can enhance efficiency, it is important to ensure that AI complements rather than replaces human expertise. Veterinary practices should train their staff and provide opportunities for upskilling. They should also engage with their IT manager or IT provider to stay abreast of AI developments and improvements
- Cost and accessibility: implementing AI can be expensive and not all practices may have the financial resources to invest in the technology. This could create disparities in access to higher-quality care, particularly in underserved areas. Veterinary practices should engage with the RCVS to help make AI technology more affordable and accessible to all
Next steps
Use of AI by veterinary practices offers tremendous opportunities to improve animal care, enhance diagnostics and streamline operations. However, practices should assess and address risks related to data privacy, reliability, ethics, cost and job displacement.
