STAF170-1014: The Ins and Outs of Inventory
Audio and Text: In some of the course Real Time Sessions the lecture will be predominantly audio
while in others the lecture will be predominantly text.

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Instructor(s): Rebecca Rose, AAS, CVT
Course Open: October 21-November 21, 2014
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Tuesdays, October 28, November 4 & 11, 2014; 8:00-9:30pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

*The instructors for this course will be using audio which will require you to have a headset or speakers to listen. If you have any concerns regarding your computer's audio capabilities, please be sure to attend one of the Practice Sessions.

Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course is an essential part of practice management for those who are responsible for the clinic inventory. All veterinary staff members, office managers, practice managers, hospital administrators, supervisors, and veterinarians are welcome to join the course and its discussions.
VSPN CE Course: This course has been submitted for RACE approval for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. This course has been submitted to VHMA for CVPM credits.
The Veterinary Information Network (VIN) is RACE Provider #22.

Course Description:
Your hospital's inventory is best utilized when it is walking out the door and being charged for! It's true; inventory that sits on the shelf is not making money. During this course we will discuss maintaining and controlling inventory in (purchased) and tracking inventory out (sold). Seems like a fairly easy concept, however inventory management can be improved upon, no doubt about it! All team members who handle inventory are encouraged to take this course. We will begin with the importance of identifying an inventory specialist, benefits of well-maintained inventory, establishing ordering and restocking protocols and budget. Then we will discuss proper tracking, invoicing, internal audits and the use of an online pharmacy. Retail center and marketing will round out the program. Attendees will walk away with a job description for an inventory specialist, budget targets, inventory formulas and marketing ideas. Surely, there are ways your hospital can tighten up its inventory management and together we will work through it.

This course consists of three (3) ninety (90) minute Real Time Sessions, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.

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*The lecture portion of this course will combine text and audio presentation, please be prepared to listen. *To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to

• create a job description for an inventory specialist (or manager or lead).
• develop ordering and restocking protocols.
• outline an inventory budget.
• properly track inventory items as they are sold.
• review invoices for appropriate inventory charges, pricing and tracking lost charges.
• develop an internal auditing process.
• identify the benefits of auditing charges.
• outline the benefits of offering an online pharmacy.
• discover the pros and cons of having a retail center.
• actively promote products and design a marketing strategy.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.

Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Instructors:
Rebecca Rose has been a CVT for nearly three decades, has managed two AAHA accredited veterinary hospitals and is currently Lead Consultant at CATALYST Veterinary Practice Consultants, LLC. She has authored two texts on veterinary technician careers, writes peer reviewed articles, is a contributing author in a text book for veterinary technicians as well as sits on several professional councils and committees.

Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session October 28): The Ins, Ordering, Restocking and Inventory Specialist
Content: Your hospital will be best served by identifying a team member to oversee inventory management. Together we will discuss the inventory specialist's job description and create protocols for ordering and restocking. We will review the ABC analysis of inventory control and determine budget allotments for your team to follow.

Week 2 (Real Time Session November 4): The Outs, Invoicing, Tracking, and Online Pharmacy
Content: Now that your shelves are adequately stocked, we will dive into accurately invoicing the items, checking for products sold, and tracking lost charges. You may be surprised how many lost (and FOUND) charges are identified when an internal audit is set in place! Graphing lost and found charges can offer a great visual for your team. Offering an online pharmacy may be just the ticket for your clients, improving compliance and convenience. Together we will weigh the pros and cons of an online pharmacy.

Week 3 (Real Time Session November 11): The Marketing: Retail and Consumer Trends
Content: What are the pros and cons of retail and is your hospital a prime candidate? Attendees will brainstorm on marketing ideas; what is working well and what is not working. Together we will come up with some new, innovative marketing ideas and how to implement them. We will delve into some consumer trends you may find worthwhile. We will also recap a few of the "hot topics" identified through the weeks before we bring the class to a close.

CE Credits: 4.5

Tuition: $90 ($81 early bird special if enrolled by October 7, 2014)

* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close at 5 pm ET October 28, 2014, or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
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1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
4. For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.

*Note: "This course is submitted for approval for 4.5 continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education." Call VSPN/VIN CE at 1-800-700-4636 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636) to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

The CE team:

Charlotte Waack, RVT, CVT
VSPN CE Coordinator

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154

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800.700.4636  |  CEonVIN@vin.com  |  530.756.4881  |  Fax: 530.756.6035 777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616 Copyright 2000, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.