Imagine this scenario – a busy two-doctor practice, one vet suddenly has to take a sick day, leaving the other with double the workload. You’d think she’d face a whirlwind of a day, working late into the night just to keep up. But here’s the plot twist: she manages to see every patient, finish on time, and even sneak in some laughs with her colleagues between appointments. Sounds unbelievable? It’s a reality at AcharaVet, thanks to Digitail!
AcharaVet is a group of veterinarian-owned-and-operated clinics founded with a clear mission: Returning the joy to veterinary medicine. AcharaVet is more than just a network of hospitals, they are a community of like-minded professionals committed to helping associates achieve their dream of ownership in independent clinics.
This philosophy is reflected in the group’s name – Achara, which means “Hey, friend” in Gaelic. By offering assistance with hospital design, technology and equipment, and back-office management support, AcharaVet enables veterinarians to build and run the practice of their dreams.
Established in 2023 by Dr. Dermot Jevens, a board-certified veterinary surgeon and Stanford Bell, a real estate attorney, AcharaVet quickly attracted aspiring owners and formed its first 9 partnerships in under a year.
Autonomy and Uniformity
While every hospital in the group maintains operational independence, AcharaVet is dedicated to fostering a collaborative environment where owners can learn from one another and grow together. A crucial piece of this collaboration is having a unified, cloud-based PIMS.
Seeking to establish a strong foundation from inception, AcharaVet started the software vetting process early on. Dr. Jevens reminisces about the challenges encountered during the PIMS selection process. “We looked into all the available options, including Digitail, but back then, it didn’t quite have all the enterprise capabilities we needed, so we went with a different vendor,” he recalls. “However, that choice lacked solid support and seemed to hit a stagnant phase in development, which didn’t align with our mindset of continuous improvement.”
Realizing that the chosen solution wouldn’t serve them well, AcharaVet went back to the drawing board and revisited Digitail. “We were blown away by the progress it had made in just a few months,” Dr. Jevens shares.
Digitail’s drive for growth, focus on the customer experience, and the willingness to experiment, as exemplified with AI, demonstrated the level of agility and forward-thinking we sought in a long-term partnership. You could feel the passion for the product from the team behind it. So, we made the leap to Digitail, and it was the best decision.
Using the same software across all locations opened access to unique insights that each hospital leader can leverage to improve their operations. “We believe that unified data management is key to enhancing efficiencies,” says Dr. Jevens. “Each practice performs differently, and within those differences lies opportunity. Industry benchmarks can provide some guidance, but the data is often inconsistent. With a unified PIMS, we are comparing apples to apples.”
Lean Management
Veterinary professionals are often burned out and overworked. Simply adding more team members to manage the caseload is not a viable solution, especially in a market where recruiting is so challenging. Dr. Jevens is confident that to build a sustainable business, hospitals need to tackle the root causes of burnout.
As one of the solutions, he advocates for lean management, a methodology focused on eliminating waste, removing bottlenecks, and fostering continuous improvement in order to look out for the health of the team. When Digitail introduced its native AI functionality, it perfectly aligned with these principles.
“One story stuck with me,” Dr. Jevens shares. “Some friends of mine run a hospital together: the husband is the practice manager, and his wife is a veterinarian. He said to me, ‘If you can get my wife to stop sitting in front of our kids’ sports games at night with a laptop on her lap, trying to finish records, you will have accomplished something.’
This story is always in the back of my mind when I think about the purpose behind the improvements at AcharaVet: to ensure that our team members enjoy a good life both at work and outside of it.”
Identifying value is the first principle of lean management, and what better way to improve the quality of life for veterinarians than by automating the primary contributor to long hours – writing medical records?
We experimented with traditional voice-to-text tools, but they still required a lot of manual effort and accuracy checks. The introduction of Tails AI Dictation was a game changer. It just listens in the background, and by the end of the appointment, your SOAP notes are magically ready. No more late-night record filling at home.
He further explains that the adoption of AI was seamless, largely due to its native integration within the software already in use by the team. “We didn’t have to research and incorporate additional tools into our workflow — AI is all conveniently integrated in Digitail, synchronized, and ready to go.”
Clinical Productivity Boost
Speaking about the efficiencies brought by Tails AI, Dr. Jevens recalls a recent story from one of their clinics: “A couple of weeks back, a veterinarian had to unexpectedly take emergency leave. It was a two-doctor practice facing the busiest week they’d ever had. Initially, they considered bringing in backup from another hospital. However, the primary vet, Liza, decided to take on the challenge herself.”
Supercharged by Tails AI, Liza not only managed to finish her work on time every day but also did not feel burned out by the end of the week. “To put it into perspective, if her revenue from that week were annualized, it would equate to around $1.5 million,” Dr. Jevens marvels at the transformative impact of AI. “Liza not only tackled the doubled workload but also maintained her well-being, which is the ultimate goal of AcharaVet.”
Beyond voice-to-text capabilities, Tails AI offers decision support and streamlines manual tasks.
Veterinarians use Tails AI Assistant for generating treatment plans, calculating dosages, and quickly finding information in patient histories. All these time-saving features add up, allowing for more precious moments at home with family.
He estimates that Tails AI is saving between 5 and 15 minutes per sick patient per day. “We’re witnessing a 30% increase in productivity, without adding more workload to the staff,” he shares with excitement.
Full Attention to Veterinary Patient Care
Having an AI assistant not only saves time for the team but can also completely transform behavior in the exam room. When the veterinarian doesn’t need to worry about capturing the medical record, they can devote their full attention to the patient. “Now veterinarians can sit down and engage in a conversation with the client. Build trust. While they’re talking, their iPad is in their lap, seamlessly capturing the record with a Quick SOAP,” says Dr. Jevens. “It’s truly gratifying to witness the bond that forms between a vet and a pet parent, while technology takes care of the administrative stuff.”
He adds that it’s not just veterinarians who are enjoying Tails AI. From crafting client communication materials to preparing discharge notes and educational content, Tails AI optimizes routine work for the entire team and improves patient care.
The beauty of AI lies in its adaptability. You can train it to your preferences, teaching it specific terminology and even your tone of voice. It truly becomes a valuable assistant.
Dr. Jevens highlights that AI, being a native part of Digitail, brings immense benefits. “With access to patient records, it can offer highly personalized solutions, not just theoretical answers,” he says. “We’re excited to explore Tails AI Intake; in combination with the Pet Parent App, it looks very promising for streamlining the check-in process and reducing wait times.”
People, Purpose, and Profitability
Dr. Jevens is optimistic that well-executed AI is fundamentally transforming the operations of veterinary hospitals. He quotes Charles Darwin: “At the end of the day, it’s not the strongest that survives, nor the most intelligent, but those most adaptable to change.”
“Technology is evolving rapidly,” he continues. “It holds the potential to address many challenges in modern veterinary medicine.”
He is confident that the most effective measure of AI implementation success will be the employee net promoter score and retention.
Since implementing Tails AI, I actually started receiving photos from our hospitals showing them goofing around between appointments. They have genuine smiles on their faces. Now, they actually get breaks and can close at 5, all while maintaining patient volume and excelling financially.
AcharaVet is an inspiring example of how embracing innovation in veterinary hospitals can lead to success by striking a balance between people, purpose, and profitability. Dr. Jevens leaves us with a final nugget of wisdom: “Prioritize team satisfaction, equip them with the right tools, and empower them with autonomy, and the profits will follow.”
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