Clinic benchmarks that matter: Are you really operating at peak efficiency?

Running an efficient veterinary clinic isn’t about squeezing in more appointments or pushing your team harder. It’s about knowing how time, resources, and care are being delivered — and using that insight to work smarter, not just faster. 

And yet, many clinics operate without a clear picture of how they’re doing. They rely on gut instinct instead of performance data.

When you track the right metrics — ones that are tied to actual outcomes — you can see what’s working, spot patterns before they become problems, and make targeted improvements that benefit your team, your clients, and your bottom line.

This article outlines six essential benchmarks for evaluating clinic efficiency, including research-backed targets from leading industry organizations like the AVMA and AAHA. Each one is a window into how your practice runs and how it could run better.

Why benchmarks matter for clinic efficiency

Veterinary teams are busy. With a constant stream of appointments, phone calls, and follow-ups, there’s little time to reflect on what’s slowing things down. Benchmarks give you that time back by helping you focus on what’s worth measuring and why.

Done right, benchmarking is not about policing individual performance. It’s about revealing system-level issues that might otherwise go unnoticed — whether it’s documentation getting pushed after hours, client follow-ups falling through the cracks, or appointments consistently running over time.

Good benchmarks help teams:

• Make better staffing and scheduling decisions
• Reduce inefficiencies without compromising care
• Improve client communication and compliance
• Spot early signs of team overload or burnout

Let’s break down the six metrics that offer the most practical value.

1. SOAP note completion time

What it is: How long it takes to finalize medical notes after a visit.
Benchmark: 1–2 hours post-visit; 24 hours maximum per AAHA standards.

When notes aren’t completed until late at night,  or even the next day, it increases the risk of missed details, limits continuity of care, and adds unnecessary stress. Records should be finalized within 24 hours; however, top-performing clinics aim for same-day completion, ideally within one to two hours.

How to improve it: Build in protected time for documentation or use AI scribe tools to reduce the admin load. Even small changes can keep clinicians focused and out of their inboxes after hours.

2. Declined services rate

What it is: The percentage of recommended services (diagnostics, vaccines, dentals, etc.) that clients decline.

Benchmark: Lower is better. Aim to improve acceptance rates for key services like dentals (goal: >50%).

Over half of U.S. pet owners have declined veterinary recommendations in the past year, most often due to cost, confusion, or stress. 

A 2025 Gallup study found:

• 22% declined diagnostics
• 18% declined preventive care
• 16% declined elective procedures

Dental services have especially high decline rates, with some practices reporting 65% noncompliance.

How to improve it: Track declines by service, provider, or client type. Invest in client education and transparent payment plans. When clients understand the value of care (and how to afford it) they’re more likely to say yes.

3. Follow-up compliance rate

What it is: The percentage of recommended rechecks, labs, or other follow-ups that are actually completed.
Benchmark: 80–85% compliance with proper reminder systems and forward booking.

It’s easy to assume a job is done once a client leaves the clinic. But if follow-up visits aren’t booked — or aren’t kept — pets don’t get the care they need. One study showed nearly 35% of post-op cases didn’t return for a recommended recheck.

How to improve it: Schedule the recheck before the client leaves. Use reminder calls, texts, or portals to stay on top of it. AAHA reported follow-up compliance rose from 79% to 86% after implementing forward booking.

4. Client callback volume

What it is: The number of post-visit calls from clients asking for clarification.
Benchmark: No published average, but fewer than 1 in 5 visits triggering a callback is a reasonable internal goal.

Frequent callbacks often mean something was unclear — discharge instructions weren’t comprehensive, or clients forgot what was discussed. While some callbacks are inevitable, many are avoidable.

How to improve it: Provide written summaries, explain care plans clearly, and proactively check in on complex cases. If your front desk gets daily calls asking about basic instructions, it’s time to tighten up communication in the exam room.

5. Appointment duration by type

What it is: The difference between scheduled and actual appointment times.

Benchmark:

• Wellness exams: 20 minutes
• Senior exams: 30 minutes
• Sick/problem visits: 30–40 minutes
• New pet visits: 30–40 minutes
• Rechecks: 10–20 minutes
• Only ~10% of visits should exceed 60 minutes

Overtime appointments cause cascading delays and stress. A 2021 Vetsource study found that while most appointments stayed under 60 minutes, some visits (especially sick or new pet visits) often needed more time than allotted.

How to improve it: Audit your schedule by visit type. If sick exams always run over, adjust the time block or pre-triage cases to set expectations and allocate appropriately.

6. Veterinarian and technician utilization

What it is: Whether team members are working at the top of their license.

Benchmark:

• Vet-to-tech ratio: ≥1:1 minimum; 1:2 or 1:3 in high-performing clinics
• Vet-to-total staff: 1:4–1:5
• High technician utilization = better efficiency and revenue

When doctors are taking phone calls, restraining pets, or filling out forms, it’s a sign of underutilized support staff. According to the AVMA, the most efficient clinics average 2.7 technicians or assistants per DVM.

How to improve it: Redesign workflows to hand off non-DVM tasks. Let technicians do what they’re trained to do. It makes the whole team more productive and keeps doctors focused on doctor work.

You already have the data

You don’t need a dedicated analyst or a new system to track these benchmarks. Start with tools you already use:

• SOAP times: Use timestamped note completion data
• Declined services: Review treatment sheets and invoices
• Follow-up rates: Use booking and reminder logs
• Callback volume: Track call reasons at the front desk
• Appointment durations: Compare check-in and check-out times
• Utilization: Observe who does what and when, even for one week

Pick one metric to track this month. Learn from the data. Then make a small change based on what you find. That’s how practices get better, not by doing everything at once, but by building momentum one benchmark at a time.

Efficiency is really about clarity

When your clinic runs well, your team isn’t just faster. They’re more present. Clients feel informed. Pets get the care they need. And your practice becomes more sustainable for the long haul.

These six benchmarks don’t just reveal what’s broken. They show you what’s possible. Track them. Understand them. Use them to build a better way to work.

Transform your clinic with HappyDoc

Let HappyDoc help you transform your entire approach to patient care. Your clinic's staff will have a personalized AI scribe that listens, takes notes, integrates with your software, and files the data away in the appropriate spot. HappyDoc works alongside you so you can be free to focus on what matters—your patients.

Schedule a demo to find out how your clinic can operate at its full potential, providing the highest level of care to every patient, every time.

‍