Welcome to EPIC

EQUINE PURCHASING AND INVENTORY CO.

 
 

Welcome to EPIC

EQUINE PURCHASING AND INVENTORY CO.

 
 

Welcome to EPIC

EQUINE PURCHASING AND INVENTORY CO.

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Our Purpose

To maximize profitability and practice value for independently-owned equine veterinary clinics committed to preserving the legacy of their business while remaining competitive in the modern marketplace.

Our Vision

To achieve industry-leading cost savings on veterinary drugs, supplies, equipment and beyond, and create the industry’s best source of solutions to inventory management challenges in an educational network.

Our Mission

To promote goal-oriented relationships and transparency in cooperation with member practices and partnerships with industry vendors who support our vision.

Group Purchasing Organization Serving the Equine Veterinary Industry

Welcome to EPIC, a dedicated collective committed to enhancing profitability and value for independent equine veterinary clinics. We believe in the legacy of your business and strive to ensure its competitiveness in the modern marketplace.

As a cooperative organization, we don’t just work for you; we work with you. We serve as an ally to independent practices, providing benefits that are usually exclusive to larger groups. Our emphasis lies on cultivating goal-oriented relationships, fostering transparency, and orchestrating strategic partnerships with vendors who support our vision.

Our primary focus is to devise industry-leading inventory management strategies that optimize cost savings on veterinary drugs, supplies, equipment, and more. We aim to create a premier educational network that addresses inventory management challenges, sharing knowledge, and innovation across our member practices.

Join us, and benefit from our unique co-op structure that allows more stake in the decision-making process and ensures your pricing and inventory management support are exceptional. Your journey toward increased profitability, inventory control, and continued legacy begins here.

Get Started!

equine veterinary purchasing group in Stephenville, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a member of another buying group. Can I still be in EPIC?

Any practice that is not part of a corporate group is welcome to apply.

What does it cost?

You’ll pay a one-time initiation fee of $200 per full-time veterinarian (capped at $1,000), and a quarterly membership fee of $150. The membership fee allows you to participate in all negotiated agreements, plus gives you access to all the educational inventory management webinars and support.

How much can I expect to save?

We have created a customizable pricing analysis tool designed to help project your savings, based on what you’ve been buying and what you’ve spent on your high volume inventory. We’re happy to offer this free of charge in order to provide you the most complete information with which to make your purchasing decisions – and that’s just on the purchasing side. We’re also here to help you improve your inventory management strategies, and the savings there may even overshadow the savings to be gained from our purchasing agreements.

What’s the catch?

There’s no catch. Typically, the savings you’ll receive pays for your membership very quickly, and if for any reason you’re not happy with your experience in EPIC, you can leave at any time. It’s pretty simple.

What are my obligations as a member?

We are an organization of very few rules. First, all members have 12 months to make our distributor partner their primary distributor. Our distributor partner, Patterson Veterinary Supply, has been a big supporter of EPIC from the very beginning, and the pricing, service, and customer care their team provides makes this an easy box to check.

Second, all members must have a Vetcove account synced with their current suppliers. Whether you actually use it for purchasing or not is up to you (although our experience tells us it’s a no-brainer and a huge time and money saver!). Loading all members on one platform is the most efficient and least bothersome way to identify what our members are using and where the greatest savings can be realized.

Last, we encourage you to participate, whether it’s in internal discussions, attending the annual meeting, or supporting our industry partners. EPIC is committed to working for the independent veterinarian, and your input is a great influence on the direction we go with this organization. Additionally, the partnerships that have been created are rooted in a strong desire to meet the needs expressed by our members, and our partners have worked hard to create game-changing agreements that are a win for all involved. All EPIC contracts are subject to a non-disclosure agreement, so the final requirement is that all members honor the confidentiality of these thoughtfully-crafted agreements.

I’m just a solo practitioner, I don’t think I do enough business to matter.

Actually, you are one of the main reasons we exist. There aren’t many options out there for smaller practices, and they’re an essential part of this industry. We feel it’s important for solo practitioners and smaller practices to be able to participate on a level playing field when it comes to managing the cost of doing business. You won’t find tiered pricing programs here, and we’re actively working to get away from promotional periods that require you to stock up excessively in order to save a little money.

Larger practice? Don’t worry, you won’t be sacrificing anything by joining. While you’ve probably been able to negotiate very well on your own, you’ll be joining 100+ other equine-focused practices, and we can do so much more together than any of us can do alone.

Do I order from you, Vetcove, or my local rep?

Nothing at all will change about how you order. EPIC pricing will be applied to your accounts behind the scenes, so you’ll see improved pricing, but you can still place your orders by whatever method you prefer.

Can you help me with my inventory?

We’d love to! Negotiated savings are always the bright and shiny attraction, but where you’ll arguably save the most money is through improved management of the inventory after it arrives in your practice. For the inventory managers and interested owners, we host monthly webinars focusing on various topics related to inventory management strategies, including:

  • Understanding purchasing agreements
  • Creating customized systems of tracking and counting inventory
  • Calculating turnover and setting mins and maxes relevant to your practice
  • Keeping controlled drugs in compliance
  • Building the AAEP order
  • Calculating rebates
  • Managing shrink
  • …and everything in between.

We also have one in-person meeting each year with a wide range of content (inventory and beyond) for owners, associates, practice and inventory managers. Past featured guests include Whitney Hischier, Betsy Charles, and Mike Pownall. We are currently planning our 2024 event and look forward to welcoming Jay McChord, Tim Miles, and John Chalk.

Are webinars recorded?

Our webinars are not recorded. We understand this comes at a slight cost to convenience, but have found that recordings undermine the value of an engaged, authentic experience. EPIC is full of purchasers with tons of experience, and the engagement and input from everyone on a variety of topics is what makes this such a great and unique resource. Please plan to join us often!

Check Out Our Partners!

Testimonials

With the inventory management strategies we have implemented in our practice from the shared knowledge and coaching gained from the EPIC network, combined with the industry-leading purchasing agreements, we have been able to reduce our cost of goods by 5%. EPIC membership is a huge asset to the independently owned practices that want to stay competitive in today’s industry.

Dr. Charlie Buchanan, Signature Equine Hospital

I have worked for two equine-only ambulatory practices utilizing EPIC. I was at the first practice for 10 years and we joined EPIC after many years of price shopping multiple distributors. EPIC and Vetcove were revolutionary, making the otherwise arduous task of ordering inventory a much faster process with the best pricing all in one place. No more searching multiple websites to find similar products for the best prices and having to recheck every single time an order had to be made. There was a significant drop in our COGS, as well as a feeling of trust we were getting the best prices – a nice feeling at the end of a long day! We had already begun implementing inventory management strategies, but EPIC gave us more tools for the toolkit, and made it easier to see the work we put into management really does pay off! As soon as I started with the new practice, I had EPIC up and running for us within two months of our grand opening. I had no hesitation in bringing EPIC on board, as I had seen what it can do for a practice's bottom line. It’s a huge benefit for a brand new practice just opening its doors or for a veteran practice just the same!

Kari Jones, Practice Manager, C3 Equine Veterinary Services

I was introduced to EPIC as an equine purchasing group through a current member. However, the financial benefits with inventory promotions and contracts is just the tip of the iceberg. EPIC is a community of like-minded equine practitioners and business owners looking to answer questions in practice management, inventory management, HR, recruitment & retention, etc. Communication between the members is a significant part of the group. We are provided consistent updates on new members, industry partners, promotions, and monthly virtual inventory CE.

The annual conference allows for networking with other practices that are troubleshooting similar concerns as myself. I have had ongoing conversations after these meetings that have led to equipment purchases and software management solutions I was otherwise struggling to solve on my own.

The annual meetings are also an opportunity to bring practice managers and Inventory managers for continuing education and team building. Each year, we leave feeling re-energized to make changes within the practice that will increase profitability and efficiency. The entire team becomes part of the discussion in the changes being made and shaping the practice.

EPIC has not only been financially beneficial but also invaluable as a networking opportunity. The members that are a part of EPIC are passionate about the equine veterinary industry; sub-committees are organized on topics that members feel they can personally contribute to. I have learned a great deal from the EPIC Retention & Recruitment Committee and am excited to play my part in such an important topic.

Dr. Lindsey Smogor, Jackpot Veterinary Center

EPIC has played a huge role in our practice’s inventory management. They helped drastically reduce our purchasing costs through their network of distributers and manufacturer agreements. Plus, their monthly webinars and the annual EPIC Symposium have helped us gain much needed knowledge in inventory control. EPIC’s guidance helped us improve our turnover rates, minimums and maximums and missed billing reports. It gives us comfort knowing if we have any question about inventory, EPIC is there to answer them and give us suggestions on further improvements.

Shane Newsom, Inventory Manager, Signature Equine Hospital

EPIC is so much more than a veterinary buying group; it has proved itself to be an integral part of our Team here at Katy Equine Clinic. As one might expect, EPIC has saved us money with its co-op structured purchasing agreements. Our small practice is no longer under pressure to purchase large quantities in order to enjoy discounts. Even more valuable, however, are the resources EPIC has provided that have allowed us to completely overhaul our inventory management. Danika has been incredibly available to provide education, assistance, and connections to other EPIC members that have the experience with tools we had interest in utilizing. Today, our staff enjoys an ownership of our inventory process. There is an invaluable understanding of the ways in which it impacts our clinic success and ultimately, our survival. Our Team is reenergized and invested in both unexpected and honestly, exciting new ways!

Katy Equine Clinic, Brookshire, TX

We joined EPIC right as I was taking over inventory management for three practices in 2019. Since then, we have grown to five locations, and EPIC has been there every step of the way. Not only have the vendor partnerships saved us money and allowed us to reduce our COGS, but EPIC provides a support system for inventory managers in equine medicine that other groups just don’t grasp due to difference in practice layouts and the sheer amount of medications that need to be purchased compared to others in the veterinary industry. The monthly inventory webinars that cover a wide variety of inventory management, and the yearly inventory and leadership summits have been a wonderful advancement in my career and leadership journey. Anyone looking for solutions and support in this industry would benefit from joining!

Jessica Patterson, LVT, Inventory Manager, Montana Equine Associates and Sawtooth Equine

EPIC meetings continue to inspire me. These meetings are so helpful to us as sponsors knowing what veterinarians are experiencing in their daily practice operations, and we have a greater understanding moving forward. I see a group that has a passion to keep the equine profession engaged, and preparing for the future as we address practice succession, burnout, compensation, training, hiring. You are setting the table for the future. I am thankful to be a part of it.

Elizabeth Schmitt, Antech Diagnostics

One of the great things about EPIC is the bond it forges between the distributor, manufacturer, and the veterinarian. It is one of the truest concepts of a partnership I've seen. I believe EPIC's core values have the ability to effect change and continue to thrive in a great industry

Chris Kemp, Patterson Veterinary Supply

I just wanted to write a quick email to say how impressed I was with the EPIC conference. It was really a great trip. The conference topics were excellent, especially John Chalk - wow! Such a great teacher and knowledgeable guy. The communications talks were fun and I feel like I learn something new every time I hear one of those extroverted speakers get passionate about their specialties.

What may have been the best by far about the conference was the ability to be in one room with so many smart, motivated business owners and absorb their stories, trials and successes. It was a positive conference and very supportive. These are two things I haven't felt at an equine-focused conference in the last few years. Thank you for focusing the conference around positive topics (even the disaster drill was positive, but in a business sustainability direction). It was a breath of fresh air in an equine veterinary world that can come off fairly depressing in certain public circles.

I know both of you and the whole team at EPIC have worked very hard (to say the least) to organize this group. Please know you're doing a great thing. Danika, your inventory work is a life saver (or should I say, practice saver). Thank you

Dr. Betsy Colarusso, Vermont Large Animal Clinic

EQUINE PURCHASING AND INVENTORY CO.

The Equine Purchasing and Inventory Company is a co-op structured, equine veterinary industry-focused buying group, with an emphasis on improved inventory control. EPIC’s goal is not to generate profit for a third party, but to maximize the savings of its members through strategic and innovative purchasing agreements coupled with focused inventory management training and support. We appreciate the opportunity to explore how EPIC can help your practice reach its cost of goods and inventory management goals.

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Ready to maximize profitability and streamline your inventory management?

Join EPIC, the industry-leading equine veterinary purchasing group. Contact us today to start enjoying cost savings on drugs, supplies, and equipment while preserving the legacy of your independently-owned clinic.

Take the first step towards a more profitable practice by reaching out to our team now

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