Random Thoughts

A Smarter Way for Veterinary Practices to Navigate Conference Season

At the start of conference season, I always share one reminder with veterinary teams: don’t go into the exhibit hall hungry—and I don’t mean food.

Walking the conference floor without a plan is like grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Everything looks amazing, everything feels urgent, and you leave with more than you intended… and not always what your practice actually needs.

Make a Real Veterinary “Shopping List”

Before you step onto the exhibit floor, build a shopping list—and make it real.

Talk it through with your team: veterinarians, technicians, management, and front desk staff.

Ask questions like:

• What do we like about our current PIMS or technology?

• What would be a meaningful addition? (integrations, data sharing, client education tools)

• What can we absolutely not live without? (boarding, reporting, workflows)

• What problems are we solving right now—workflow bottlenecks, outdated systems, poor connectivity?

• What can wait?

• What can our current infrastructure realistically support?
  (Reliable internet is a must—and often overlooked.)

Yes, it’s a lot—but clarity before the conference prevents costly mistakes later.

After the Conference Buzz Wears Off

Maybe you’ve already attended a veterinary conference this season. You covered the floor, discovered more solutions than you knew existed, and saw a lot of really cool technology designed to “fix everything.”

Some questions were answered. Some priorities shifted. A few items moved up—or off—your list.

That’s not failure. That’s progress.

Where Many Practices Get Stuck

Now comes the hard part:

• Did multiple team members gather information?

• Did you divide and conquer—or walk the floor together?

• Did everyone come back excited about the same solution?

In most practices, the answer is no—and that’s normal.

Collate Before You Commit

The next step is pulling everything together:

• What stood out from each product?

• How many boxes did it check for your practice?

• Where did it shine—and where did it fall short?

This doesn’t need to be a final decision. The goal is to narrow the field and identify which solutions deserve a deeper dive.

Go Deeper—With Intention

When you move to one-on-one demos:

• Gather and compare everyone’s notes

• Review priorities with your team

• Walk through each role in the practice to see how the technology will actually be used

• Add to your list

• Ask vendors to show you how it works—not just tell you that it can

With more veterinary solutions coming to market, practices are switching systems more frequently. The reality? Every move is a data move. No system transfers everything perfectly. Some data will be re-entered, handled differently, or lost altogether. The decision to move is important.

That’s why it’s critical to look beyond the bright and shiny and fully understand what change really means—for your team and your data.

With a clear plan and thoughtful evaluation, conference chaos turns into strategic progress—and your investment truly supports your practice long-term.
👉 How does your veterinary practice prepare before walking the conference floor—and who’s involved in the decision-making?