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Does technology serve to strengthen and protect the relationship between you (the veterinarian) and your client?
Back in 1998, most veterinarians were horrified at the looming prospect of Dr. Google. But he/she/they haven’t been all bad, and it’s helpful to have more informed clients.
You might say this next generation of ChatGPT and its cousins (often dubbed ‘Google on steroids’) is just another stronger, sexier aggregator of information.
But let’s take a pause.
At Virtual Vet Nurse, we’ve always seen a big, hairy, elephant-sized problem with any of these search technologies – both old-school and new-school.
If we ask the basic question: does this technology serve to strengthen and protect the relationship between you (the vet) and your client?
Mostly, the answer is no.
At Virtual Vet Nurse, we’re passionate about new technology. But there’s something even more important to us…and that’s the special nature of the vet-client relationship. Combining these two things – and finding the sweet spot that works for the profession – is what we set out to do.
What’s the philosophy behind Virtual Vet Nurse?
Virtual Vet Nurse is an AI conversational chatbot that’s designed by a veterinarian for veterinarians.
That’s why it’s been purpose-designed to strengthen and protect the vet-client relationship.
From day one, we baked these critical features into Virtual Vet Nurse:
#1 Your Virtual Vet Nurse will always lead clients back to your clinic.
What happens when your clients ask a question via Google? They get delivered a dizzying array of options…from third-party telemedicine, other providers in your vicinity, online pharmacies, or advice from a pet forum. And that’s just the start of it.
By contrast, your Virtual Vet Nurse will ONLY have conversations about your clinic. This is the equivalent of your front-desk human team member – they’d never recommend clients visit the clinic down the road or buy meds from a third party.
And just like your best human front-desk team members, your Virtual Vet Nurse will always gently encourage your clients to:
make a booking
order refill meds
pass on a message or query to the team
follow up pre or post-consult
see your clinic’s latest promotions
ask for feedback
purchase a product from you
and more…
In other words, with Virtual Vet Nurse, all conversational AI roads will lead back to your clinic – and nowhere else.
#2 Your Virtual Vet Nurse will always prioritise seeing a vet.
To protect your professional obligations, Virtual Vet Nurse will always advise the client to see their vet – either to book a routine appointment or to go to the ER.
Virtual Vet Nurse will never say the equivalent of: ‘Hey, based on this info I’ve found for you, I’d say that’s nothing to worry about!’
They will always follow the safest, standard narrative that human, veterinary teams have always used: ‘If you’ve noticed a change in your pet, or you’re worried at all, we recommend you bring your pet to see us and/or visit your emergency clinic.’
Making sure every animal is seen by a veterinarian is a professional fundamental we never want to change – no matter how sophisticated the AI information becomes.
#3 Your Virtual Vet Nurse will always stay on script (one that’s veterinary-approved).
When your clients use search-based technologies, you have no control over the answers they receive, which can include dangerously off-base diagnoses and just plain wrong advice (as seen in any public pet forum any day of the week).
By contrast, Virtual Vet Nurse operates from its own central ‘brain’, which has been written and approved by veterinarians. From this central brain, further personalization is added to create your clinic’s individual Virtual Vet Nurse. Using switches, we can also turn parts of the brain on or off according to your clinic’s preferences. But importantly, the brain will never stray out of scope.
This means your Virtual Vet Nurse will always stay right on script – giving only your clinic information, your approved veterinary advice, and your approved actions.
So, how do we approach the elephant?
At Virtual Vet Nurse, we’re excited about the potential of ChatGPT (and whatever comes after it).
But the central question remains: how do we harness the power of these search technologies in order to strengthen the vet-client relationship?
We are currently exploring a ‘vet-curated’ version of ChatGPT that sits within the Virtual Vet Nurse brain – where we utilise the power of search but ensure the flow of information is vet-approved and vet-centric.
This would combine the best of both worlds. Where clients can search for the right information, and it serves to bring them closer to their veterinary team.
It’s an exciting time to be working in the AI space.
Like to continue the discussion?
We’d love to know your thoughts, comments and feedback on the issue we’ve discussed here. Please drop us an email to: info@virtualvetnurse.com.
Virtual Vet Nurse has a special offer for Vetanswers readers: 50% off the standard monthly subscription cost for your first three months. Use the promo code: VETANSWERS when you book a demo.
Dr Steve Merchant is the creator of Virtual Vet Nurse, the world’s first intelligent AI digital assistant for the veterinary industry. Prior to this, Steve was co-founder of one of NZ’s largest companion animal group of clinics, and is a past President of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA).
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