Veterinarians make dozens of decisions every day. They assess patients, design treatment protocols, adjust at a moment’s notice, and communicate those plans to clients and team members. The ability to evaluate a clinical situation and act on it is what makes a veterinarian who they are.
In practice, many variables can limit flexibility in veterinary medicine, such as employment terms, client finances, personal schedules, available medications and supplies, and the tools and software that run their practices. Giving vets back some of that choice can help them perform better and feel more satisfied in their jobs.
Clinical autonomy
Caitlin DeWilde, DVM, founder of The Social DVM and practicing relief veterinarian, deeply values autonomy. It’s why she left her associate position to start a business and practice in a relief capacity.
Dr. DeWilde recalled a stressful experience in which her hands were tied by policy. When the owner of an oxygen-dependent patient was rushed to the hospital during Dr. DeWilde’s shift, the clinic couldn’t reach an emergency contact who could make decisions for the patient or pay for care.
Dr. DeWilde wanted to provide basic supportive care to keep the cat comfortable while they awaited further instruction, but hospital policy prevented her from alleviating the patient’s suffering. “I said, ‘There’s no protocol for this. Just give me some autonomy to fix it,’” she recalled.
For veterinarians, this kind of interaction can create moral injury, and employers must work to ensure vets feel empowered to make decisions when they matter most.
Building a toolkit
Technology can also be a source of restricted flexibility in veterinary medicine. During Dr. DeWilde’s time as medical director of a veterinary hospital, the team outgrew its server-based practice management software (PIMS). The software no longer met the hospital's needs, but switching to a cloud-based system wasn't an option.
"We were locked into a PIMS that no longer served the needs of the hospital or our clientele because it was just not in the budget to switch," she said.
Veterinary teams interact with many products and vendors daily, from reference labs and imaging systems to pharmaceuticals and supplies, often without any choice in the matter.
Contracts and budgets can force teams to use products that don’t work for them, but the right technology can support choice in these moments. Platforms like Vetcove, for example, offer an alternative to the traditional distributor contract that relies on bulk and special discounts, allowing teams to compare prices, choose preferred brand products, and create healthy competition that lowers prices overall.
Work-life flexibility
Dr. DeWilde splits her time between running her business, picking up relief shifts, and managing her family calendar.
"This fits better into the lifestyle I wanted better than I ever imagined,” she said. “I take my kids to school every day. I can help them with their algebra homework. I can go to soccer practice. I still get clinical experience, but it's great because even though my kids are bigger now, they're still kids."
Flexibility in veterinary medicine enables Dr. DeWilde to maintain a family-centered lifestyle, reflecting a growing industry trend. More veterinarians are pursuing relief work, part-time roles, or practice ownership to have more control over their work schedule.
Schedule flexibility has become a top priority for job-seekers, and practices that are willing to work with team members can more easily attract and retain talent. Other ways practices can enable greater freedom and job satisfaction include offering more pay structure options and negotiating employment contracts with an open mind instead of an adversarial approach.
Software that supports choice
Software with an open API and open ecosystem lets practices connect the tools that work best for their team, whether that's a specific imaging system, payment processor, communication platform, or AI scribe. Teams aren't limited to a single vendor's suite of products, and they can add or change integrations as their needs evolve.
Choosing software built on openness also reflects a commitment to business values. Practices that prioritize flexibility in veterinary medicine can benefit from partnering with companies that share their general philosophy while giving veterinary professionals the freedom to build a tech stack tailored to their needs.
Provet and the value of choice
Provet veterinary practice management software solves problems across the veterinary community by allowing for flexible integrations and adapting to teams across a range of disciplines, practice sizes, and geographic locations.
Whether you are part of an independent practice or a large group, our open API means your team can choose products and vendors based on fit without worrying about compatibility or competition. Schedule a demo to see how software designed for flexibility can work for you.
.png)