The Problem with Closed Systems
For decades, veterinary prescribing has existed inside silos. Each player in the ecosystem, from software vendors to pharmacies, has built their own platforms and technologies, all trying to innovate but each speaking a slightly different language. What began as progress has quietly turned into fragmentation.
Today, veterinary teams juggle multiple logins, portals, and disconnected workflows. A single prescription might start in a practice management system, get printed for signature, faxed to an outside pharmacy, and then manually entered again on the receiving end, or in many cases, the process from start to finish is entirely manual. Every handoff adds friction, delay, and opportunity for error.
Even the tools that appear modern are often part of closed ecosystems built to serve select partners rather than the broader veterinary community. Some portals connect only with specific pharmacies, locking practices into limited networks. Others require custom integrations or restrict connectivity to select vendors within their network, making open collaboration nearly impossible. The result is a maze of isolated systems that may centralize data but never actually connect it—fragmenting the very workflows they were meant to simplify.
The outcome is predictable: more manual work, more duplication, less visibility, and slower access to care for the pets who need it most.
When Progress Creates New Walls
On the surface, digital prescribing in veterinary medicine looks like progress. Practices can now receive and approve requests online. Pharmacies can send digital forms instead of faxes. Data appears to move faster. But behind the scenes, many of these tools are still built on the same outdated infrastructure.
Fax-based tools, for example, give the illusion of ePrescribing but still depend entirely on fax as the transport layer. Others use proprietary frameworks that connect only to specific partners, creating walled gardens that block true interoperability.
This is not digital transformation—it is isolation disguised as progress.
By restricting open communication, these closed systems slow the entire industry down. Practices cannot freely adopt new technologies. Pharmacies are limited in who they can connect with. PIMS vendors are forced into redundant integrations just to maintain basic compatibility. Each new “solution” adds another wall.
Human healthcare faced this same challenge years ago. Competing portals and incompatible standards made information sharing impossible until the industry united around open, standardized frameworks. Veterinary medicine now stands at the same crossroads.
The Power of an Open Network
An open network represents the opposite of a walled garden. Instead of limiting who can connect, it creates a shared foundation where all participants—veterinary practices, pharmacies, and PIMS vendors—can communicate securely and compliantly, no matter what system they use.
Openness delivers three essential benefits that define the future of veterinary prescribing:
- Interoperability
Data moves seamlessly between systems. A prescription written in one PIMS can be securely transmitted, approved, and tracked by any pharmacy on the network. No re-entry. No redundant logins. No confusion. - Transparency
Every transaction is time-stamped, auditable, and visible to both sides. Practices know exactly when a request was received. Pharmacies know when it was approved. Pet parents benefit from faster turnarounds and fewer delays. - Scalability
New participants can join without reinventing the wheel. Independent pharmacies, telehealth providers, and emerging PIMS vendors can integrate once and connect with everyone else.
An open network turns competition into collaboration. It enables innovation to accelerate because every stakeholder operates on the same digital foundation.
VetWay: Agnostic by Design, Connected by Purpose
The platforms in veterinary medicine offering some form of digital prescribing tool often share the same limitation—they are not truly independent. Many are owned by a pharmacy, a PIMS, or a competing corporate group with interests that directly conflict with the very parties needed to make these systems successful.
VetWay was built to change that.
We are agnostic by design. That means VetWay is not owned by, invested in, or influenced by any pharmacy, manufacturer, or corporate entity. We also do not build or compete with PIMS, pharmacy software, or management systems.
Our only focus is connection—creating a network where every participant can communicate freely, securely, and compliantly.
This independence is more than a technical distinction. It is the foundation of trust across the entire ecosystem. When no single entity controls the network, innovation can flourish. When everyone operates on the same standards, efficiency improves. And when data flows freely between systems, veterinary medicine moves forward as one connected community.
VetWay’s neutrality ensures every stakeholder—from independent practices to national pharmacy chains—operates on equal ground. It is a platform built for the entire industry, not for ownership or control.
Why Openness Is the Only Sustainable Future
Closed systems eventually collapse under their own complexity. Every new partner means another integration, another login, another layer of manual oversight. It’s not scalable, it’s not efficient, and it’s not the future.
Open networks solve that problem by creating one standardized way for everyone to communicate. Instead of reinventing integrations, participants connect once—to the network—and instantly communicate with everyone else.
This model also ensures compliance with established frameworks like the 2023 NCPDP SCRIPT Standard, the same one used in human healthcare for ePrescribing. When every participant speaks the same digital language, efficiency improves exponentially.
The benefits go far beyond convenience: fewer errors, faster turnaround, better compliance, and lower administrative costs. In human healthcare, this transition unlocked analytics, automation, and better patient outcomes. Veterinary medicine is ready for the same leap forward.
Breaking the Walls That Hold Us Back
Veterinary medicine is one of the most compassionate and purpose-driven fields in existence, yet ironically, it remains one of the most disconnected technologically. Every portal, every closed system, and every proprietary integration has added another wall instead of tearing one down.
These walls do not protect innovation—they prevent it.
Every closed portal reinforces a structure where information cannot flow freely, workflows cannot align, and patients experience unnecessary delays.
There is no future in isolation. The only way forward is through shared standards, open communication, and true collaboration.
This shift is not just what’s best for software—it’s what’s best for veterinary medicine. Those who resist openness are not protecting progress; they are protecting the past.
VetWay is not just building another platform. We are rebuilding the foundation of connection across the entire veterinary ecosystem—one where practices, pharmacies, and PIMS vendors can work together on equal ground.
The future belongs to those who connect.
From Fragmentation to Future-Ready Infrastructure
The outside pharmacy request process has long been a pain point for veterinary teams and pharmacies alike. It wastes time, increases costs, and leaves too much room for lost or delayed authorizations. Fax-based workflows are untrackable, and email or phone communication offers no audit trail.
VetWay replaces that inefficiency with a fully connected, transparent network. Every request is time-stamped, traceable, and securely stored. Veterinary teams see every status in one place, while pharmacies receive standardized digital approvals that flow directly into their systems.
This is the bridge veterinary medicine has been missing—a connected network supported by modern technology and designed for speed, accuracy, and compliance.
A Future Defined by Connection
Veterinary medicine stands at a pivotal moment. The tools that once promised progress are now creating barriers. The next chapter will be defined not by who owns the network, but by who connects it.
VetWay represents that future: an open, agnostic network uniting every practice, pharmacy, and PIMS on a single secure digital foundation. When the entire ecosystem connects, everyone benefits—especially the pets we care for.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does “open network” mean in veterinary prescribing?
An open network allows all participants—veterinary practices, pharmacies, and software providers—to connect through a standardized, secure exchange without restrictions or exclusive partnerships.
How is VetWay different from existing pharmacy portals?
Most pharmacy portals are closed systems that only connect to select partners. VetWay is open and agnostic, connecting every participant through one standardized framework that replaces redundant logins and integrations.
Does VetWay replace fax completely?
Yes. VetWay eliminates fax as the transport layer and replaces it with a true digital exchange. For practices still reliant on fax, VetWay can intercept and digitize those workflows during the transition to full ePrescribing.
Can VetWay integrate with my existing PIMS?
Absolutely. VetWay was designed for interoperability. It can connect directly via APIs or work alongside your existing system without disrupting workflow.
Why is being agnostic important?
Agnostic platforms are neutral. They are not owned by pharmacies, manufacturers, or corporations, ensuring fair access, trust, and equal opportunity across the entire ecosystem.
What benefits do open networks offer for veterinary teams?
Open networks reduce administrative tasks, eliminate redundant approvals, improve pharmacy communication, and accelerate medication delivery—creating better experiences for veterinarians, staff, and pet owners alike.