These release notes cover the updates to Instinct EMR released in June 2026. Each section explains what changed and what it means for your practice.
Email an estimate and collect a signature remotely
You can email an estimate directly from Instinct EMR and let a pet owner review and sign it from any device. The pet owner does not need to be in the building.
Instinct EMR saves the signed estimate back to the patient chart automatically, so your team has documentation without a separate filing step.
This is available to all Instinct EMR practices as of June 2026.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Add the verified navigation path and the exact button name used to send the estimate. Add a link to the full how-to article if one exists.
📸 Screenshot recommended: The estimate view with the email control visible, plus the signed estimate as it appears on the patient chart. Highlight the email control in HEX #FFAA00, 2pt border and shadow. Add a written description below the image.
Set your own preventive care reminder schedule
Preventive care reminders in Instinct EMR are fully configurable. You set the schedule, the message content, and the delivery channel.
Reminders also support multi-step cadences, so you can send one message for upcoming care and a different message for overdue care.
Before this release, preventive care reminders ran on a fixed schedule that practices could not change.
Note: Your existing preventive care reminder configuration transfers automatically. No action is required to keep your current reminders running as they are.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Add the verified navigation path to the preventive care reminder settings. Add a link to the full setup article if one exists.
🎥 Video recommended: Build a multi-step preventive care cadence start to finish, from the reminder settings page to a saved rule. Approximately 90 seconds, captioned. This is a multi-screen setup with interdependent settings, so following along in real time helps.
Send different appointment reminders by appointment type
Appointment reminders in Instinct EMR now support multiple rules. Each appointment type can send its own pre-visit instructions.
This means a procedure that requires fasting can send fasting instructions, while a routine wellness visit sends a standard confirmation. Your front desk no longer has to fill those gaps by phone.
Note: Your existing appointment reminder configuration transfers automatically. No action is required.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Add the verified navigation path to appointment reminder rules. Confirm the maximum number of rules supported, if there is one.
Let pet owners book their own appointments
Direct Booking lets pet owners book an appointment through the Pet Owner Portal without calling your front desk. It is available to single-location Instinct EMR practices as of June 2026.
Your practice decides which providers and which appointment types are available for online booking. Booked appointments land on your schedule the same way any other appointment does.
Note: Direct Booking is available to single-location practices in this release. If your practice has more than one location, contact [email protected] for current availability.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Add the verified navigation path to the Direct Booking settings and the exact names of the provider and appointment type controls. Confirm the multi-location answer with Product before publishing, so the callout above states the real answer rather than deferring to support.
📸 Screenshot recommended: The admin screen where staff select bookable providers and appointment types. Highlight both selectors in HEX #FFAA00, 2pt border and shadow. Add a written description below the image.
Search patients, clients, and appointments from one bar
Universal Search puts patients, clients, and appointments in a single search bar, available from anywhere in Instinct EMR.
Before this release, finding each record type meant going to a different place in the application. Universal Search replaces that with one place to look.
To learn more, see Universal Search.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Confirm and list the complete set of record types Universal Search covered as of June 2026. The July 2026 release added invoices and accounts, which means the June scope was narrower. Do not leave this as an open-ended list.
New integration partner: VetSnap
Instinct EMR now integrates with VetSnap for controlled substance compliance. The integration pulls Instinct EMR data directly into VetSnap, which reduces manual entry and helps keep your controlled substance records audit-ready.
For the full list of current partners, see Instinct EMR Integration Partners.
AUTHOR TO DO, DELETE BEFORE PUBLISHING: Confirm whether VetSnap requires setup, credentials, or a support request to enable, then state it here. The source copy said records stay DEA-ready "automatically." That is a regulatory compliance claim and should not overstate what the integration does without configuration.
Other improvements in June 2026
These smaller changes also shipped to Instinct EMR in June 2026.
Patient Medication List. View a patient's full active medication picture from Patient Snapshot, including Instinct EMR prescriptions, medications prescribed elsewhere, over-the-counter products, and supplements.
Weight chart. A visual weight history chart appears on Patient Snapshot, which makes weight trends easier to spot over time.
Integration Services page. Administrators can view and manage all lab and radiology product mappings in one place, so mismapped or unlinked products get caught before they cause ordering errors.
Automation enhancements. New triggers, new workflow variables including visit provider and product name, and an expanded template library cover more clinical workflows.
Transaction Summary Report: Total Settled Amount. A new column shows how much actually settled to your bank account per transaction type, which makes end-of-day reconciliation easier.
Pet Owner Portal: clinic information. Pet owners can find your practice contact information in the portal and view details about upcoming appointments without calling the front desk.
Pet Owner Portal access by client. Practice staff can turn Pet Owner Portal access on or off for a specific client account directly from that client's record in Instinct EMR.
Products page loads without a search. Admin → Products shows a full paginated list by default. You no longer need to run a search first to see your products.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rebuild my reminders after this release?
No. Both your preventive care reminder configuration and your appointment reminder configuration transfer automatically in Instinct EMR. Your current reminders keep running as they are.
Can a multi-location practice use Direct Booking?
Direct Booking is available to single-location Instinct EMR practices in the June 2026 release. If your practice has more than one location, contact support for current availability.
Where does a signed estimate go after the pet owner signs it?
Instinct EMR saves the signed estimate back to the patient chart automatically. Your team does not need to upload or file it separately.
Does emailing an estimate require a setting or permission?
Author to do: confirm with Product and answer here, or remove this question before publishing.
Still need help?
Contact the Instinct support team via live chat in the app or by email at [email protected].