Choosing a Practice Information Management System (PIMS) used to be about digitizing records. In 2026, with new demands for AI, seamless client communication, and workflow automation, choosing a PIMS is no longer about selecting veterinary software—it’s about partnering with a platform that will evolve with your practice.
Use these key questions to evaluate potential PIMS solutions and ensure your choice aligns with modern veterinary practice demands:
The appeal of cloud-based systems lies in their accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Such systems facilitate collaboration, real-time information access, and seamless integration with external platforms, all while offering robust data security measures.
Here are some of the advantages of using cloud-based software:
✔️ Work collaboratively with team members
✔️ Access information on-demand and in real-time
✔️ Integration with industry portals and platforms
✔️ Data security and storage
✔️ No need to run updates or perform maintenance
✔️ No more servers
✔️ Mobile and tablet access
✔️ A more sustainable choice
As veterinary practices handle sensitive patient data, the chosen PIMS must prioritize data security, ensuring protection against breaches and unauthorized access. Equally important is clarity on data ownership—whether the data resides with the practice or if the PIMS provider claims any rights over it.
Practices should seek systems backed by providers with a clear stance on data privacy, preferably independent entities focused on the success of their veterinary clients rather than large conglomerates with potentially divergent priorities.
Your practice’s reputation and legal exposure depend on protecting client data. Compliance features save you from paperwork headaches while security measures protect against costly breaches. Choose a provider that treats data protection as seriously as you do.
The veterinary software landscape evolves rapidly. Your PIMS provider should be at the forefront of innovation—not playing catch-up.
A system that regularly updates indicates a commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology and continuous improvement. This ensures your practice benefits from the latest functionalities and remains competitive as you scale your practice.
The ideal PIMS should offer a holistic suite of services; this comprehensive approach streamlines operations and enhances patient care.
When choosing veterinary software, choose the one that offers the most complete service, such as:
✨ 24/7 online appointment booking with real-time availability
✨ Integrated telemedicine
✨ 2-way chat for quick follow-ups, photo requests, and lab result sharing
✨ Multi-channel reminders (SMS, email, in-app push notifications)
✨ Payments and invoicing
✨ Customizable wellness plans
✨ Reporting and analytics
✨ Pet portal/app for pet parents
✨ Digital treatment sheets
✨ Internal team chat & real-time flowboard
✨ Integrated AI capabilities
Even if you’re a single-location practice today, your PIMS should grow with you. The best platforms support everything from solo practitioners to enterprise groups without requiring a platform switch.
Ask:
Switching PIMS platforms is painful and expensive. Choose a system that can accommodate your growth ambitions—whether that’s adding locations, offering new services, or expanding into specialty care—without forcing you to start over.
Efficient handling of invoicing and inventory is crucial for operational success. Opt for a PIMS that offers customizable financial management tools to simplify these aspects of your practice.
No vet started a business thinking they had to become accountants—the truth is that veterinarians have to learn more than medicine. It’s best when we can find solutions and make this kind of task as digitalized as possible. Choose software that offers functionalities that are easily customizable for your needs.
No PIMS exists in isolation. Your veterinary software must connect seamlessly with the labs, vendors, and tools you already use. Integrations eliminate double-entry, reduce errors, and save time. The question isn’t just whether a PIMS has integrations—it’s whether it integrates with the specific partners you use and continues adding new ones as your needs evolve.
What to ask about integrations:
Even the most feature-rich veterinary management software is useless if your team won’t use it. The best platforms in 2026 prioritize user experience just as much as functionality.
What to look for during the demo:
⭐ Clean, modern interface designed for veterinary workflows (not generic business software adapted for vets)
⭐ Minimal clicks to complete common tasks
⭐ Customizable SOAP templates and workflows
⭐ Mobile apps that work seamlessly, not as an afterthought
⭐ Quick training and onboarding—new staff should be productive in days, not weeks
User adoption makes or breaks PIMS success. If your team finds the software frustrating, they’ll find workarounds, make mistakes, or resist using features that could save them time. Intuitive design isn’t a luxury—it’s essential for achieving ROI on your software investment.
Customer support is not important just at the beginning – it is also important when growing your business. You need to know help is available when you need it, not just during business hours.
Ask about:
Technology fails. It just does. When it happens at the worst possible time, you need to know someone will pick up the phone and actually help you. Cheap vet software with terrible support ends up costing you way more in stress and lost revenue.
Everyone dreads the migration process. The quality of onboarding and data migration can make or break your experience with new software.
What to verify:
A bad migration can shut down your practice for days and lose years of data. You need a team that’s done this hundreds of times and knows how to handle the inevitable hiccups.
The AI revolution has arrived in veterinary medicine, but there’s a critical difference between a PIMS with one or two AI features and one that’s built AI-native from the ground up. In 2026, leading platforms offer 20+ AI workflows that touch every aspect of your practice—from front desk to exam room to practice management.
An AI integrated into your PIMS can:
✔️ Save hours of time with AI dictation/transcription, automatically summarizing records and sorting them directly into the SOAP
✔️ Automate administrative tasks like appointment scheduling, reminders, and follow-ups, to facilitate seamless communication with pet owners
✔️ Collect patient history before the appointment and summarize it directly into the medical record, saving exam time
✔️ Analyze patient symptoms and provide valuable insights and potential diagnoses based on relevant patient details
✔️ Automatically draft personalized discharge notes based on the visit details
Practices using comprehensive AI workflows report saving 50+ hours per DVM per month in administrative work.
Running a practice on gut feel is no longer viable. The best PIMS platforms in 2026 give you visibility into every aspect of your operation—in real time, not after the fact.
Make sure a PIMS has:
⭐ Real-time flowboard that shows appointment status, wait times, and patient progress at a glance
⭐ Digital whiteboard for hospitalized patients with treatment tracking and progress monitoring
⭐ Comprehensive reporting across finance, operations, inventory, client activity, and medical records
⭐ Customizable performance dashboards with key KPIs
⭐ Inventory analytics to prevent stockouts, reduce waste, and control costs
Data-driven practices make better decisions. Whether it’s knowing when to bring in a relief DVM, identifying which services are underutilized, or tracking team performance, real-time visibility turns your PIMS into a strategic business tool—not just a record-keeping system.
If you’re still evaluating your options, these resources can help you think through the decision more strategically:
👉 What a veterinary PIMS is and what features matter most — a practical breakdown of core functionality and what to prioritize.
👉 Comparing different veterinary PIMS options — a side-by-side look at how platforms differ and what that means for your practice.
Choosing a PIMS isn’t about finding the software with the longest feature list or the slickest demo. It’s about finding a partner that understands veterinary practice, delivers on promises, and makes your daily life genuinely better.
Your PIMS will be the backbone of your practice for years to come. Take the time to ask these questions, get real answers, and make a decision you won’t regret.
Download the free guide with the critical questions that help you look beyond the sales demo and evaluate what truly matters for your clinic’s long-term success.
