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One thing that came up recently in the office was the discussion around AI and its possible uses for everyday life. Amazon’s recent release of their “Just Walk Out” AI stores performance and subsequent cancelling of the pick up and go experience brings to mind the question – “What can AI actually do?”

Machine learning and continual development of AI could bring better efficiency, diagnostic tools and research results within the industry. With the implementation of AI in clinics, we could see reduced workload of admin tasks, freeing up of nurse & support staff for more time to focus on patient care and customer service, as well as AI assisting vets to achieve improved patient health outcomes.

How could using AI in your clinic help with diagnosing medical cases?
Utilizing an AI’s ability to analyse vast amounts of data (e.g., patients medical history, available genetic data, known treatment responses etc..) it could help reduce the chance of an adverse reaction and assist Veterinarians with making informed decisions to achieve the most effective treatment/patient care solutions and diagnosis.

There has also been advancements with AI systems being able to assist with interpreting and analysis of medical imaging, CSIRO published a good article on the human medicine side recently.

What about the creative side of things, like advert writing or graphics for media use?
Most will have heard of or experienced by now, ChatGPT, and its ability to punch out cover letters, resumes and assignments. There is AI out there that is specifically being designed and developed for Ad Copy, Image and Video creation too. These could be a great tool for those clinics low on free time to get a written draft organised to edit for a more personalised advertisement, update & create social media banners or even generate images and organise a template for patient information handouts/printouts.

A Kookaburra tip – always check the work generated by AI, especially the free versions of AI. They might seem like a good tool but they are free for a reason. We have come across adverts with missing or completely irrelevant information for the clinic (e.g., info for different suburbs, blank sections or <insert name here> fields).

The tools being developed may still have a bit of a way to go, but the AI field is making steady progress with improvements and ironing out of bugs. Have you noticed improvements in AI-powered chatbots handling basic online inquiries lately?

From scheduling appointments and providing basic information for pet owners to analysing patient data and providing detailed suggested treatment plans, how far would you look at integrating AI in your clinic? Do you think we will see automated AI assistant surgery machines in the future? I think it’s fair to say we won’t see ChatGPT perform surgery tasks, but maybe an AI will eventually come along that could.

To sum it up, in the Veterinary industry, there are many applications and instances where AI could be used to enhance, streamline or even automate completely within clinics. Just how much we want handled by AI and how long it will take to get the AI functionality required is the question.

Interested in trying out some current AI models or seeing what is out there? Check out below!

OpenAI – ChatGPT (Test version) – https://chat.openai.com/

OpenAI – Sora (Text to Video) – https://openai.com/sora, YouTube example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK6y8DAPN_0

Microsoft Copilot – https://copilot.microsoft.com/

Adobe Firefly (Image AI) – https://www.adobe.com/au/products/firefly.html

Google Gemini – https://gemini.google.com/  / https://ai.google/

If you’re interested in what other AI are being developed you can check out this community – https://huggingface.co/, there is a free chat version as well (limited to 2 prompts as a guest) – https://huggingface.co/chat/

Author:

John Maude
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

There’s good news for Australian vets and vet nurses seeking to work in the UK, and vice-versa, with the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA). 

For UK passport holders who apply for Australia’s Working Holiday visa, the new arrangements will see an increase in the eligible age range and removal of specified work requirements.

• Since 1 July 2023, UK passport holders have been able to apply for a Working Holiday visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This is a five year increase from the current maximum age of 30 years inclusive. 
• From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders will be eligible to be granted Working Holiday visas up to a total of three years without having to meet any specified work requirements. (such as work in a rural or regional area )
• There is currently an exemption to the six-month work limitation per employer  – From 1 January 2024, you can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission if you work in different locations for the same employer, as long as work in any one location does not exceed 6 months. In addition, if you submit a request for permission to work longer than 6 months for the same employer, Home Affairs may give you permission if you 
  • have applied for a visa allowing ongoing full time work and are awaiting the outcome of your application, or
  • undertake work that is critical to your employer, and have attached a supporting letter from your employer to your request.

Similarly, for Australian passport holders who apply for the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), the new arrangements will also see an increase in the eligible age range and the ability to stay in the UK for up to three years.

• From 31 January 2024 Australian passport holders will now:
  • be able to apply for a YMS visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This is a five year increase from the current maximum age of 30 years inclusive; and
  • extend their YMS visa for a third year if they choose. This also applies to New Zealand passport holders.

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.