Editor’s note: Some of Nadia Dukic’s answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
Between hiring a full team, building sustainable day-to-day workflows, and managing complex cases from day one, there’s very little margin for friction or error when launching a specialty veterinary hospital. For Minnesota Veterinary Neurology (MVN), that reality was even more pronounced. Their journey began as a mobile neurology service before evolving into a 12,000-square-foot, 24/7 specialty hospital.
In that transition though, one constant remained: Instinct EMR. Rather than slowing them down, it became a stabilizing force that supported them from early setup to full-scale clinical operations.
Building Workflows Before Minnesota Veterinary Neurology Existed
One of the most unique aspects of MVN’s experience with Instinct EMR is that they began using it before their hospital even opened. During their mobile phase, the team relied on Instinct EMR to check patients in and out, document exams, and use treatment sheets. There were no integrations yet, no advanced workflows, and no operational complexity.
“Immediately, we didn’t use all of the features, or we used them at a very basic level,” said Nadia Dukic, MS, BS, CVT, Practice Manager at MVN. “It was so basic as far as how we were using it when we first started. And we never had any issues with that. It’s very simple. Then when we got closer to opening, we had to link it with Cubex and IDEXX … So there was a lot, but it wasn’t difficult to do.”
This early exposure allowed the team to build familiarity with the system without the pressure of a busy hospital environment. And when MVN finally transitioned into a full hospital, their needs changed almost overnight. They immediately started managing:
- Advanced neurology cases and emergency workflows
- Controlled drug inventory, lab integrations, and diagnostics
- A staff of 30+
How Instinct EMR’s Treatment Sheets Reflect Modern Workflows
For a neurology-focused hospital, treatment plans are very rarely simple. Patients often require detailed monitoring, multiple interventions, and coordinated care across team members. But Instinct EMR’s treatment sheet functionality became a central part of how MVN manages those cases.
The team uses treatment sheets not just for documentation but also as a working tool for patient care, organizing exams, treatments, medications, and updates in one place. As their workflows became more advanced, they built out structured treatment sheet groups to reflect how their hospital actually operates. This eliminated the need for separate tracking systems or workarounds.
“We had used [Instinct EMR] briefly at a previous clinic, and we liked the experience that we had with it,” Nadia said. “I think specifically the treatment sheets and how they worked really well for our patients.”
Instinct EMR is a PIMS that combines medical excellence with complete practice management so you can run your hospital with all-in-one trusted software. Book a demo today.
One System Instead of Many With Instinct EMR
One of the most meaningful differences MVN identified is Instinct EMR’s unified design. In many veterinary practices, medical records, treatment sheets, and billing exist in totally separate systems. That fragmentation increases the risk of miscommunication and slows down care. Instinct EMR removes that divide.
“Before that, we used ezyVet,” Nadia said. “[Instinct EMR encapsulates] everything versus at previous clinics, we had something that was the medical chart, something that was the treatment sheet. I think Instinct EMR is a huge help when everything is one.”
Instead of switching between systems, the team works within a single, connected environment. That consistency is especially valuable in a specialty setting where cases are often complex and time-sensitive.
Read: Is Your Veterinary PIMS Holding You Back? 5 Common Workarounds We See
Read: Automations in Instinct EMR: Reducing Manual Work & Mental Load Across Your Practice
Training a Large Veterinary Team Quickly & Realistically
Opening a new practice meant onboarding an entire team at once. MVN trained roughly 30 staff members in a short period, many of whom had never used Instinct EMR. The training approach was hands-on. Staff worked with test patients within the system, practicing everyday workflows. They were also given access to Instinct Academy for additional learning.
Even with that preparation, the first days were intense. Not because of the software itself, but because everything was happening at once.
“It’s a lot to learn if you have a short period of time,” Nadia said. “I got to play with it for a year before you know, anybody else. So the first few days … I had a staff of 30 people who were trying to learn Instinct [EMR], our flow, the MVN ways, neurology, all at the same time … Despite that, within about a month, most team members were comfortable using the system in their roles. Over the following months, they became increasingly self-sufficient.”
Veterinary Software Support That Extends Beyond Go-Live
While the software itself played a major role in MVN’s success, their experience with Instinct support was equally impactful. From onboarding through daily use, the team consistently relied on support resources to answer questions and troubleshoot.
“My experience [with Instinct Support] is always great, whether it’s with BeepBoop or a person … They always get back to me. There has never been an issue or a time where I have had a question unanswered. It might not be the answer I want. It might be instant, ‘Can’t do that yet,’ but even if that’s the case, usually what they do is they’ll submit a suggestion ticket for me.”
That reliability is especially important in a clinical environment where delays can directly affect veterinary care. Fast, reliable support allows the team to navigate workflows and new features with confidence and minimal disruption.
Instinct EMR: Veterinary Software That Adapts as the Practice Grows
As MVN has continued to evolve, so has their use of Instinct EMR. New features, workflow adjustments, and process improvements are part of their ongoing operations. Rather than being locked into a static system, they’ve been able to adapt their use of Instinct EMR to match how their hospital actually functions.
That adaptability has allowed Instinct EMR to remain relevant not just during launch, but throughout the hospital’s continued growth.
Built on the industry’s most advanced digital treatment sheets, Instinct EMR supports seamless hospital management, from improving patient outcomes to boosting revenue, streamlining workflows, and helping your team succeed. Book a demo here.
Instinct EMR’s Meaningful Impact on Daily Operations
For MVN, Instinct EMR has been a central part of the hospital’s operations. It enabled them to:
- Start simple and build complexity over time
- Manage detailed, specialty-specific treatment workflows
- Keep all clinical and operational data in one place
- Train a large team efficiently during a high-pressure launch
- Maintain confidence with consistent, responsive support
Perhaps most importantly, it reduced unnecessary friction during one of the most demanding phases of their journey. Nadia said she would “100% recommend Instinct EMR to other veterinary professionals.”
“[Instinct has] the best support team ever. That will be my top thing. But also, I do feel like you guys listen to customers when they say, ‘Hey, this would be really nice to have this. Hey, this would be really nice to have.’ And I feel like it’s taken seriously and it’s actually worked on. It’s not an idea that’s just pushed off to the side. And I think the flow of the system works really well from checking in to making the treatment sheet, to checking out, to filling prescriptions. There are a lot of features, but it’s really simple to do.”
Thank you to Nadia Dukic and Minnesota Veterinary Neurology for sharing their experience with Instinct EMR!
Interested in seeing Instinct EMR in action? Request a demo here!
