Dictation vs Transcription in Veterinary Clinics: What’s the Best Fit for Your Workflow?

Every minute spent on paperwork is a minute not spent with patients, and for many veterinary professionals, those minutes add up fast. Studies suggest DVMs and technicians spend up to three hours per day* on charting and clinical notes, often after their last appointment.

That time crunch creates a tough trade-off: do you prioritize speed and risk inconsistencies, or aim for structured documentation and spend extra time cleaning up notes? Most clinics lean on either dictation or transcription to help, but both methods come with pros, cons, and practical limitations.

In this article, we’ll break down the difference between dictation and transcription in a veterinary context—what they mean, how they impact various team members, and what kind of documentation workflow actually works best in real clinics. If you’ve ever wondered how to save time on notes without compromising on clarity, this guide is for you.

*VetCheck, 2023

What is dictation in a veterinary setting? 

In a veterinary clinic, dictation refers to speaking out medical notes—often during or right after a consult—so they can be recorded, transcribed, or reviewed later. It’s a fast, hands-free way to capture the clinical story while it's fresh in your mind.

Many DVMs dictate right after examining a patient. Some speak directly into mobile apps, digital dictation devices, or even browser tools—especially if they’re solo practitioners or working without a scribe. RVTs and PMs may also use dictation to capture procedural notes, update client communications, or prep records for audits.

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Why clinics use dictation

• Speed: You can dictate much faster than you can type—especially in back-to-back appointments.
  

• Immediacy: Speaking thoughts aloud helps capture clinical detail while it’s still top of mind.
  

• Hands-free: Useful during consults when typing isn't practical.

But dictation isn’t perfect

• Lacks structure: Dictated notes are often a stream of consciousness, which means someone still has to reformat them into SOAP or EMR standards.
  

• Room for error: Voice recognition tools can misinterpret terminology, accents, or background noise—leading to mistakes.
  

• Workflow burden: Without support, someone on the team (often an RVT or VA) ends up cleaning up and formatting the notes later.
  

Dictation shines when time is tight, but on its own, it doesn’t always lead to clean, compliant veterinary record keeping—especially in busy, multi-staff environments.

What is transcription in veterinary practices? 

Transcription is the process of converting spoken words—often from a recorded dictation—into structured, written documentation. In veterinary clinics, this usually means turning consult notes, procedure descriptions, or discharge instructions into a formatted SOAP record or EMR entry.

There are two common types:

• Manual transcription: Performed by a human (in-house or outsourced), who listens to audio files and types them out—sometimes adding structure or correcting mistakes. For example, a VA might send end-of-day voice memos to a remote transcriptionist who types them up overnight.
  

• Automated transcription tools: AI-powered software that transcribes audio in real time. It can be integrated into workflows or used post-appointment. For example, a DVM uses CoVet to transcribe their spoken notes into a draft SOAP format, ready for review.

CoVet turns your spoken notes into polished patient records in real time

Why clinics use transcription

• Structure: Transcription results in more polished, compliant, and readable records.
  

• Team sharing: Transcribed notes are easier to pass along to other care team members or attach to client follow-ups.
  

• Quality control: Especially with manual services, you can catch errors and standardize formatting.

Limitations of transcription

• Time lag: Manual services often require turnaround time—anywhere from hours to days.
  

• Cost: Human transcription services can be expensive, especially with high volume.
  

• Formatting effort: If the output isn’t smart (e.g., no SOAP formatting), it still requires someone to organize it.

  
  

In fast-paced clinics, transcription helps ensure consistency, but it’s not always fast or flexible enough to keep up without support.

Dictation vs transcription: A veterinary-focused comparison

Both dictation and transcription aim to reduce the documentation burden—but they solve different parts of the problem. Below is a side-by-side comparison of how they stack up for veterinary teams across key factors like speed, accuracy, and staff impact.

Feature	Dictation	Transcription
Speed	Instant voice capture—no typing required	Delayed: manual or AI-generated with review time
Accuracy	Depends on clarity, pronunciation, and software used	Higher with editing and quality checks
Structure	Free-form, unstructured speech	Structured output (SOAP notes, formal reports)
Integration	Often lacks PMS (Practice Management Software) syncing	Some tools integrate; others need manual upload
Best for	Fast note-taking, immediate documentation during consults	Formal records, compliance, internal audits
Staff impact	Reduces typing load for DVMs, but may shift cleanup to VAs	Can add admin work if manual; AI options reduce this load
Tools	Dictation apps, digital recorders, speech recognition software	Audio transcription software, automated tools, human transcribers

In real clinics, neither method is flawless: dictation can be too messy, and transcription too slow or expensive. That’s why many veterinary teams combine both to meet their workflow needs.

How veterinary care teams use both dictation and transcription 

In most clinics, dictation and transcription aren’t either/or—they work best together. Different roles lean on each for different reasons, depending on pace, priorities, and patient flow. Here’s how this plays out in day-to-day workflows:

Solo RVT: Managing the rush between appointments

An RVT in a one-doctor practice juggles patient check-ins, vitals, and documentation. With just a couple of minutes between patients, they use CoVet to dictate key observations from the last consult. The tool transcribes and formats the notes into a SOAP structure automatically, so by the time the next appointment starts, records are complete and ready for review—no typing marathon needed at the end of the day.

From voice to vet record—CoVet’s smart templates transform your dictations into clean, complete medical notes in seconds

Practice Manager: Standardizing records across locations

In a growing multi-location clinic, the PM needs consistent records for audits and internal handoffs. They implement a workflow where DVMs dictate notes after each appointment, and transcription tools—some automated, some assisted—convert them into structured SOAPs. This combo helps every location follow the same documentation standards, cutting down on training time and improving care continuity. It also supports handling multi-pet vet records seamlessly, allowing quick switching between patients' charts without losing track of individual care histories.

Veterinary Assistant: Staying focused on patient care

A VA supports two DVMs during a packed afternoon. Previously, they had to transcribe notes from scratch or reformat spoken memos. Now, the DVMs dictate directly into their phones, and transcription tools handle the heavy lifting. The VA just skims and finalizes. Instead of being stuck behind a screen, they’re back in the treatment area helping pets and supporting the team.

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Why CoVet combines the best of both worlds

Veterinary clinics today face mounting pressures, from managing detailed documentation to balancing patient care and administrative tasks. Streamlining workflows is no longer optional; it’s essential for efficiency and quality care. This is especially true due to the rise in veterinary burnout and compassion fatigue. 

Tools like CoVet offer a practical solution by integrating real-time documentation support and task management tailored specifically for veterinary teams.

Imagine a busy clinic where the veterinarian can focus fully on the patient, while CoVet captures accurate notes and helps prioritize tasks seamlessly in the background. This kind of workflow transformation reduces burnout, cuts errors, and frees up more time for what truly matters: the animals.

If your clinic is ready to enhance its operations and reduce administrative burden, exploring CoVet could be the next step toward a smoother, more efficient practice. Schedule a demo today to see how CoVet can support your team’s unique needs.