Veterinary Technician Utilization: Why Using Techs Fully Pays, and How to Start

Many practices that say they need another veterinarian actually need to use the technicians they already have. Credentialed technicians are trained to do far more than many hospitals let them, and when they are not used, two things happen: veterinarians spend time on tasks someone else could do, and technicians leave.

This guide sums up what the 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines recommend and how to put them to work.

The problem in numbers

• Only 40% of credentialed technicians who answered NAVTA's 2022 demographics survey felt fully utilized, as AAHA reported.
• AAHA reports that credentialed technicians name underuse of their skills among the top reasons for leaving the profession, alongside burnout, low pay and low job satisfaction.
• Practices where veterinarians rarely perform tasks that credentialed technicians can and should do show an average revenue increase of 36%, according to the AVMA's report on the guidelines.

What only a veterinarian must do

AAHA puts it simply: of all the work in a clinic, only four things must be done by a veterinarian:

1. Diagnose
2. Give a prognosis
3. Perform surgery
4. Prescribe

Everything else can be delegated, within your state's practice act. That rule has exceptions; a few states allow technicians limited procedures such as simple extractions. See what a vet tech can legally do.

What technicians can take on

From the guidelines and AAHA's summary of them:

Diagnostics

Blood draws, cystocentesis and radiographs, but also eye tests (fluorescein stain, tear tests, eye pressures), skin scrapes and cytology, ear cytology, reviewing blood smears and reading urinalysis.

Treatment and emergencies

Monitoring anesthesia, bandages and splints, pain assessments, and in emergencies, unblocking cats with urinary catheters, thoracocentesis and leading CPR, where the practice act allows.

Client communication

• Reviewing treatment plans and estimates, and payment options.
• Client education on preventive care, nutrition, behavior, palliative care and disease management.
• Discharge instructions and teaching clients to give medications, including injections such as insulin or fluids.
• Sharing results after the veterinarian has reviewed them.
• Follow up calls.

A 2022 JAVMA study cited by AAHA found clients were more engaged in decisions when both the veterinarian and a technician took part in the conversation about options.

Where to start

The guidelines suggest three areas to look at first: appointments and initial assessments, surgery and anesthesia, and telehealth and teletriage.

A step by step plan

1. Form a utilization team with someone from every role: veterinarian, technician, assistant, front desk, manager.
2. Do a gap analysis. List the tasks veterinarians do in a typical day and mark which a credentialed technician could do. AAHA's assessment tool helps.
3. Read your state's practice act for what may be delegated and at what supervision level.
4. Write clear roles for each position, with little overlap. Define levels of technician duties so there is room to grow.
5. Build trust. AAHA's chief medical officer called trust the recurring theme: veterinarians need to see technicians' skills to delegate them. Start with a few tasks and add more.
6. Add mentoring for new graduate veterinarians and technicians alike.
7. Measure. Track appointments per doctor, technician retention and revenue before and after.

Get the titles right

AAHA recommends calling only credentialed technicians "technicians" and everyone else on the patient care team "assistants." Calling everyone a technician confuses clients and undervalues the credential. In several states it is also against the law, since the title is protected; Minnesota protected it in 2026. See Minnesota now licenses vet techs.

What it means for hiring

Before you post for another veterinarian, map one morning and see how much veterinarian time goes to delegable tasks. Our post on whether you have a hiring problem or a workflow problem has a worksheet. And when you hire technicians, describe the skills they will use in the post: "you will run anesthesia, dentals and technician appointments" attracts the best. See why vet techs leave and what keeps them.

How Zuse helps

Zuse Hire shows practices the credentialed technicians nearby, each checked against the state board, so you know who holds the credential your workflow depends on.

Sources

• AVMA News, AAHA releases veterinary technician utilization guidelines (November 13, 2023)
• AAHA Trends, From the Guidelines: 3 ways to improve technician utilization (2025)
• AAHA, 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines

FAQ

What tasks must only a veterinarian do?

Diagnosing, giving a prognosis, performing surgery and prescribing. Most other clinical tasks can be delegated within the state's practice act.

How many vet techs feel underutilized?

In NAVTA's 2022 demographics survey, only 40% of credentialed technicians felt fully utilized.

Does using technicians more increase revenue?

According to the AVMA's report on AAHA's guidelines, practices where veterinarians rarely do tasks technicians can do show an average revenue increase of 36%.

Where should a practice start with technician utilization?

AAHA suggests appointments and initial assessments, surgery and anesthesia, and telehealth and teletriage, after a gap analysis of what veterinarians currently do.

Should every patient care team member be called a technician?

No. AAHA recommends "technician" only for credentialed technicians and "assistant" for others, and in several states the title is protected by law.