Welcome to EPIC

Equine Purchasing and Inventory Co.

Learn more

  • 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.

Our Partners

We’re here to fill a void in the equine veterinary industry

EPIC is an equine veterinary purchasing cooperative built specifically for independently owned practices. The goal is straightforward: help clinics buy smarter, pay less, and manage inventory more effectively, without changing how they run their business.

EPIC negotiates purchasing agreements that improve pricing behind the scenes so members can keep ordering the way they already do while seeing better cost on key items.

The value goes beyond negotiated pricing. EPIC provides ongoing support for better inventory management, educational webinars, conferences, and practical guidance for inventory managers and owners.

For an independent equine clinic, joining EPIC is a simple way to protect margins, reduce waste, and gain access to a knowledgeable community so you can spend less time worrying about costs and more time focused on patients and clients.

Get Started!

Frequently Asked Questions

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • 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!

Testimonials

  • Dr. Lindsey Smogor, Jackpot Veterinary Center

    “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. Betsy Colarusso, Vermont Large Animal Clinic

    “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”

  • Kari Jones, Practice Manager, C3 Equine Veterinary Services

    “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!”

  • Katy Equine Clinic, Brookshire, TX

    “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!”

  • Shane Newsom, Inventory Manager, Signature Equine Hospital

    “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.”

  • Elizabeth Schmitt, Antech Diagnostics

    “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.”

  • Dr. Charlie Buchanan, Signature Equine Hospital

    "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.”

  • Chris Kemp, Patterson Veterinary Supply

    “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”

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

    “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!”