Transforming a Buffalo Practice with HappyDoc

Amclare Veterinary Hospital is a specialized clinic in Buffalo, New York, exclusively serving cats and dogs in the community. The clinic is known for its compassionate care and deep ties to the community. But like many small veterinary practices, they faced mounting pressure from staffing shortages, outdated workflows, and the emotional toll of burnout.

The challenge: Staffing shortages and burnout

For Amclare Veterinary Hospital, the most significant challenge was navigating chronic staffing shortages, which created a domino effect of issues throughout the practice. The team frequently found themselves overwhelmed, struggling to provide adequate time and attention to each patient while keeping up with appointment schedules.

"We were constantly short-staffed, which led to not being able to spend the time needed with our patients. We were falling behind on appointments, and it became very stressful. These shortages had a very negative impact on our clinic—we weren't able to take care of ourselves so that we could come to work and take care of our patients. It negatively affected our home lives because we couldn't give our families the time they deserved, which all led to burnout and more staffing shortages." — Donald Olson

Documentation was also a major bottleneck. Writing everything by hand not only slowed the team down but also made it harder to access and update records efficiently—especially for returning patients.

Finding a solution with HappyDoc

As a traditional paper-based clinic, Amclare Veterinary Hospital recognized the need to modernize its operations. For years, the practice relied entirely on handwritten documentation for patient histories, treatments, and clinical notes. This approach increasingly limited their efficiency and accessibility to critical information.

The team knew they needed a better way to manage documentation—one that would ease the burden on staff and help the practice run more smoothly. They began researching AI tools with two must-haves: user-friendliness and seamless integration with their existing PIMS system.

After weighing several options, HappyDoc stood out as the right fit. It offered exactly what the team needed to start transitioning from paper to digital without disrupting their workflow.

“The fact that HappyDoc integrated with our PIMS was huge. It meant we didn’t have to completely change the way we work—it just made everything easier.” —Donald Olson

Embracing digital transformation

Shifting from a fully paper-based system to digital records was a big change, but one the team welcomed. For the first time, they could automate SOAP note creation rather than writing everything out by hand — saving time during appointments and allowing staff to stay more present with clients and pets.

“Now we can focus more on the patient while we’re in the room, instead of trying to write everything down. We’re also spending less time rereading old notes because everything is clearer and easier to access.” —Donald Olson

The shift has made triage more seamless and efficient, allowing the team to move more quickly from intake to treatment without sacrificing quality of care.

Building a more efficient practice

The team is starting to reclaim valuable time and reduce the stress that comes from trying to do too much with too little. Digital records have made it easier to track frequent flyers, prepare for appointments, and avoid time-consuming paper shuffling.

It’s a meaningful step toward building a more sustainable workflow—one that supports the wellbeing of both staff and patients.

Looking ahead with HappyDoc

For Amclare Veterinary Hospital, HappyDoc represents a gateway to the future of veterinary practice management. While they're still working through the transition from paper to digital records, the team is confident in their choice and enthusiastic about the potential for greater efficiency and improved patient care.

As Amclare Veterinary Hospital continues its journey with HappyDoc, it looks forward to maximizing the benefits of digital documentation while maintaining the personal touch that makes its small practice special to the community it serves.

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