Behind the Chart: Scribing Technology

Veterinary medicine has always been about doing more with less. Vets manage multiple patients, switch between emotionally opposite appointments, write detailed records, and still try to get home at a reasonable hour. The documentation burden alone is something the profession has quietly accepted as part of the job. That may be changing, and faster than most people realize.

My guest today is Dr. Mike Mossop, co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer at CoVet, an AI-powered scribe and clinical assistant built specifically for veterinary professionals. Dr. Mossop brings a background in both emergency and general practice. He ran his own technology-forward mobile veterinary business and continues to practice a few days each month alongside his work on the software side. That clinical grounding shapes how CoVet is built, with real workflows and real usability at the center of every decision.

Today we get into how AI scribing actually works inside a veterinary hospital, from recording a client conversation on a smartphone to a finished medical record appearing on the screen before you make it back to your desk. We also talk about where adoption stands right now, what the numbers look like for practices that have made the switch, and where the technology is headed over the next few years. If you have been curious about AI in practice but have not yet taken the step, this conversation gives you a clear and honest look at what it is, what it is not, and why it might be worth a closer look.

Show Notes:
[02:20] Dr. Mossop shares his background, describing a path rooted in a love of biology and nature that led him through emergency and general practice before co-founding CoVet.

[05:31] A plain-language breakdown of how AI scribing works is provided, covering the three core steps of recording, generating a document using a customizable template, and reviewing the finished record.

[08:45] Recording device flexibility is discussed, with smartphones identified as the most practical starting point, alongside desktop and external microphone options for different clinic setups.

[12:00] CoVet is positioned as drafting software that works alongside practice management systems rather than replacing them, with records syncing across devices in real time.

[14:16] The broader rise of the AI companion layer is introduced, drawing a clear distinction between a personal assistant that travels with the individual vet and practice management software that stays with the practice.

[17:53] Challenges around adoption are addressed, including introducing another software layer to already stretched teams and managing client consent, with both described as smaller hurdles than most vets expect.

[22:31] Veterinary and human medicine AI adoption are compared, with the gap described as much narrower for software than for diagnostic equipment, and the variety of species and practice types identified as a reason customization matters more in this field.

[26:07] Current adoption is characterized as sitting in the early majority phase in North America, with a five-year outlook suggesting the vast majority of veterinarians will be using some form of AI assistant.

[27:14] A case study from Green Acres Hospital in Alberta is walked through, reporting roughly two hours saved per day, additional urgent care appointments absorbed, and a 10 to 15 percent productivity increase seen in a separate emergency hospital study.

[32:21] Looking ahead, deeper integration with practice management software and expanded clinical decision support tools are identified as the next major developments, with a closing recommendation to simply try a free trial as the most effective way to understand the value firsthand..

Links and Resources:
VHMA
CoVet
Dr. Mike Mossop - LinkedIn