By Stacey Hendershott, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline)

Veterinary medicine is evolving at an unprecedented pace. New diagnostics, therapeutics, software platforms, and AI–driven tools continue to enter the marketplace, each promising faster answers and improved patient care. For companion animal practices, the challenge is no longer access to diagnostics; it is deciding which technologies truly deserve a place in the hospital.

The "diagnostic buffet" can be tempting. Every platform offers advantages, every company presents a compelling case, and every new tool appears to fill an important gap.

However, adding technology without a clear strategy can create financial pressure, workflow disruption, and confusion for doctors, team members, and clients. The goal is not to adopt every option available, but to build a curated diagnostic ecosystem that supports medical quality, practice sustainability, team efficiency, and client trust.

The challenges facing practices

Walk through the exhibit hall of a vet conference, and the problem becomes clear: dozens of companies are competing for space in hospitals. The decision is no longer simply which analyzer to purchase, but which diagnostic platform best fits the practice's medicine, workflow, finances, and long-term goals.

• Long-term contracts remain one of the most important considerations. These agreements may include production thresholds, bundled pricing, equipment incentives, or financial penalties for underuse. Although such arrangements can provide short-term value, they can also limit flexibility by tying the hospital to a specific platform for years.

As diagnostics evolve, practices increasingly need solutions that allow them to adapt without being constrained by decisions made under a previous business model.

• Profitability is equally important, but the true financial picture extends beyond equipment price and per-test margin. Practices should account for financing costs, reagent pack sizes, quality-control materials, consumables, service agreements, repeat testing due to errors, staff time, and the administrative labor associated with send-out testing. The more useful question is not whether an individual test is profitable, but whether the entire diagnostic platform delivers a meaningful return on investment while supporting better patient care.
• Futureproofing has also become more difficult. A platform that solves today's challenges may not be flexible enough to accommodate new biomarkers, software integrations, or AI-supported tools that emerge over the next several years. Replacing equipment before it has produced an adequate return is rarely practical, but delaying adoption can place a practice at a competitive disadvantage. Ideally, diagnostic decisions should favor scalable systems that can grow with the hospital.

The challenges facing doctors and staff

Veterinarians and their teams experience the diagnostic landscape differently than practice owners do. Clinicians are focused on timely, accurate medical decisions while managing full schedules, complex cases, and client expectations. Every diagnostic choice can affect patient outcomes, communication, workflow, and team confidence.

With new tests, biomarkers, and technologies continually entering the market, determining which diagnostic tool is appropriate has become increasingly complex. Clinicians must understand when to order a test, how to interpret the result, what limitations apply, and how much confidence to place in emerging technology. This constant stream of decisions contributes to cognitive load and can add to the broader pressures associated with professional burnout. The right diagnostic solutions reduce complexity rather than add to it by providing education, objective data, and clear clinical pathways.

Veterinary teams are also stretched by staffing shortages and a growing demand for care. In this environment, diagnostics should help teams make better decisions faster. Evidence-based tools that provide reliable, actionable results allow veterinarians to focus on clinical care rather than navigating unnecessary complexity.

Implementation is therefore critical. Installing a new analyzer or platform without clear protocols can lead to inconsistent use, delayed follow-up, duplicate testing, and staff frustration. Conversely, thoughtful onboarding, defined case-use guidelines, and hands-on training can help teams integrate new diagnostics smoothly while preserving efficiency and advancing patient care.

The challenge facing clients

Today's veterinary clients are more informed, more cost-conscious, and often more anxious than ever before. They expect clear recommendations, transparent pricing, and timely answers. Many are balancing a desire for advanced care with real financial constraints, which makes communication about diagnostic value essential.

For clients, affordability and transparency are closely linked. When veterinary teams can explain what a test measures, how the result may change the treatment plan, and why the recommendation matters, clients are better equipped to make informed decisions. Diagnostic options that are both clinically useful and financially accessible can improve trust and compliance.

Speed also matters. In an era of instant information, clients may struggle with waiting days for answers, especially when they are worried about a sick pet. In-clinic or near-patient diagnostics can help practices provide timely, actionable information while preserving medical quality and appropriate interpretation.

At the same time, online resources, social media, pet health apps, and AI-driven symptom checkers can shape client expectations before the appointment begins. Veterinary teams must be prepared to guide clients through this information, correct misconceptions, and connect diagnostic recommendations to the individual patient in front of them.

Bridging the gap for practices, teams, and clients

These challenges—practice profitability, team efficiency, and client communication—can be addressed when diagnostic decisions are made intentionally. The solution is neither to adopt every new option nor to avoid innovation. The goal is to turn an overwhelming buffet into a well-balanced plate: a diagnostic strategy that supports high-quality care, sustainable operations, and confident decision-making.

Practices can evaluate each new technology by asking a few practical questions: Does this tool improve patient care or clinical decision-making? Does it fit the current workflow and staffing model? Can the team be trained to use and interpret it consistently? Does the financial model support a sustainable return on investment? Can the test's value be clearly communicated to clients?

Where should a practice start? For a new start-up, the process may begin by defining the core diagnostic services that support its medical identity and business goals. For an established practice, the review may begin by examining current contracts, utilization patterns, workflow bottlenecks, and missed opportunities. For me, the goal was to expand in-clinic point-of-care diagnostics to improve medical quality and workflow while creating an additional revenue stream that did not interfere with an existing contract.

Veterinary practices can begin today by transforming diagnostic complexity into purposeful selection. By aligning technology with medical standards, financial realities, team capacity, and client communication, practices can build diagnostic systems that serve patients, support teams, and remain flexible for the future.

Stacey Hendershott, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), is a small animal veterinarian from Texarkana, Tex, focused on internal medicine and oncology at her own practice, Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital. Dr. Hendershott loves working and sharing her passion with her husband, Ben, who is a licensed veterinary technician.