Sharing an Account on CoVet

Clinics are busy, and it can feel convenient to share a login for speed. However, the CoVet team does not encourage this workflow. Here is what you need to know to protect your data, your patients, and your team.

Can two people use the same CoVet account?

We strongly recommend that each person use their own account. When two people log in at the same time, especially on the same case, information can be lost or overwritten, including losing full recordings for a patient. This affects treatment notes, history, and any edits made in parallel.

Best practice: one editor per case at a time. Coordinate with colleagues before making changes.

Why does CoVet advise against shared logins?

Data integrity: Simultaneous activity can overwrite notes or delete edits without clear warning.

Legal and regulatory requirements: Medical records must be tied to the individual who created or approved them. An accurate audit trail protects your licence and your clinic.

Loss of personalization: CoVet optimizes to an individual’s preferences. Shared accounts cannot store personal settings that speed up editing and approvals.

Accountability gaps: With a shared login, it becomes unclear who took the history, collected vitals, or performed the TPR. If an audio recording is used, the only way to confirm identity may be to listen back to the recording.

Can we keep a room or station logged in for convenience?

Some clinics keep an exam room or treatment area computer signed in for quick access. This can work for room workflow, but there are important limitations.

If you choose to use a shared room or station login:

• Identify yourself in every note and dictation. Example: “History taken by Dr Smith. Vitals collected by RVT Lopez. TPR completed at 09:12.”
  
  

• Speak your name at the start of any recording and state your role.
  
  

• Complete approvals and final sign‑offs using your personal CoVet account so the record is associated with you, not the room.
  
  

• Avoid two people editing the same case at once. Agree on a handover before you start typing.
  
  

Known limitation: The system will not automatically capture the name of the person taking the history on a room account. Identity must be recorded in the note or the audio.

What happens if two users open the same case at the same time?

Edits can collide. One person’s changes may overwrite another’s, or sections can appear incomplete, or a recording can be lost altogether.

To reduce risk:

• Check that no one else is editing before you begin.
  
  

• Save and exit when you are done so your colleague can continue.
  
  

• If you suspect a conflict, check with your team before making further edits.
  

How does sharing affect compliance and audit trails?

Every clinical note should be attributable to a specific person. This supports legal requirements, internal quality assurance, and clear accountability. Notes created or approved under a shared login weaken that audit trail.

What is CoVet’s policy on shared access?

To keep records compliant and service quality high, CoVet monitors for shared access. If we detect ongoing shared use, we may need to restrict the account. The goal is to protect your data and ensure each team member’s work is correctly attributed.

Recommended workflow

1. Use a personal CoVet account for documentation, approvals, and final sign‑offs.
   
   

2. If a station stays signed in, clearly state who is acting on the case in the note or dictation.
   
   

3. One editor at a time on any case and communicate handovers.
   
   

4. Train the team on how to identify themselves in notes and recordings.
   
   

5. Set up individual accounts for everyone who documents, approves, or edits records.
   

Helpful dictation templates

• “History taken by [Name], [Role].”
  
  

• “Vitals collected by [Name]. TPR completed at [time].”
  
  

• “Exam performed by [Name]. Assessment and plan authored by [Name].”
  
  

• “Note approved by [Name], [Role], at [time].”
  

Need more user accounts?

To sign up as a support user, follow this link and select “Support”.

To subscribe as a veterinarian, please see this help article.

If you experience any issues, please contact our support team, and we will help get you set up quickly.