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Instructor: Julie Singer, LVT, CVPM
Course Open: August 22, 2018-September 29, 2018
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, August 29, September 5, 12, and 19, 2018; 9:00-10:30pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

To prepare for your online experience, review the VIN-VSPN CE informational video prior to the course open date.

Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course is focused toward those who work with clinic inventory or veterinary staff members who would like a better understanding of inventory.
VSPN CE Course: Open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians/technologists, support staff, veterinary teams, etc. This course has been submitted for RACE approval for This course has been submitted for RACE approval for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. This course is approved by VHMA for CVPM credit. (VHMA program # 16-25)

Course Description:
How can I be running out of frequently dispensed items while paying extremely high inventory statements? Too little inventory and the practice is unable to meet the demands of clients and patients. Too much inventory ties up money with overstocked products and can reduce the practice’s cash flow. The system is broken and it needs to be rebuilt. Throughout this course, you will be provided the absolute minimal foundation needed through each stage of developing an inventory system, and then more. The location of your practice, type of business, number of clients and client visits, the number of staff and total veterinarians, veterinary software or lack thereof, storage space, number practices the inventory system will be supporting and the resources you have easily accessible to use will all have some differences in managing your inventory, but, nevertheless, the principals and foundation are the same. At the end of the course you will be able to customize your inventory system to meet the needs of your practice. After all, one size does not fit all!

Week 1 (Real Time Session August 29): The Human Side of Inventory Management
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to

• Identify human characteristics for building the optimal inventory team
• Integrate inventory goals into job descriptions and training program
• Create a standard operating process for inventory

Week 2 (Real Time Session September 5): Inventory Systems - The Old, The New and Yours!
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to

• Be able to conduct pre-inventory housekeeping
• Use veterinary software reports to measure cash flow of items
• Explore different types and combinations of inventory systems

Week 3 (Real Time Session September 12): Inventory Strategies - Protocols and Procedures
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to

• Understand the ordering process
• Explain different pricing strategies
• Understand online pharmacy, mail order, third party distribution

Week 4 (Real Time Session September 19): )Financial Tools, Law and Ethics
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to

• Understand and use financial indicators
• Understand and use calculations to manage inventory cash flow
• Discuss law and ethics related to inventory management

Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.

*The lecture portion of this course will be an 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.

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:
Julie Singer, LVT, CVPM is a 1979 graduate of Houston Community College Veterinary Technology Program, has attended Wharton County Junior College and Houston Community College business courses, and completed the Human Resource Program at Rice University. Julie is an editor and contributor to the Mosby Comprehensive Review for Veterinary Technicians textbook. Julie has lectured for Merck, Intervet, Shirt Sleeve Seminar Management Workshops and has lectured at Wild West Veterinary Conference, Seminars@ Sea, and AVMA Annual Convention and TVMA. She has taught continuing education for Veterinary Support Personnel Network since 2012. Julie is a board moderator for Veterinary Support Personnel Network, member of Texas Association of Veterinary Technicians, National Association of Veterinary Technicians, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Veterinarians, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, Certified Veterinary Practice Manager’s Association and Society for Human Resource Management. An LVT since 1979 and CVPM since 2001, she is a practice management consultant and currently manages a large AAHA practice.

Total CE Credit: 6

Tuition: $126 ($113 early bird pricing if enrolled by August 8, 2018)
Prices are listed in US dollars.

* 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 5pm ET on August 29, 2018, or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
  » Enroll Now

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 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.

*Note: "This program (RACE program number to be determined) has been submitted for approval by the AAVSB RACE to offer a total of 6 CE Credits, with a maximum of 6 CE Credits being available to any individual veterinarian or veterinary technician/technologist. This RACE approval is for the subject matter categories of: Scientific, Non-Scientific-Practice Management/Professional Development using the delivery method of Interactive-Distance: (Web-based, Teleconference or Audio-Conference).This approval is valid in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE; however, participants are responsible for ascertaining each board’s CE requirements.”
This course has been approved for continual education units toward CVPM requirements through VHMA (16-25).

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 VSPN office 800-846-0028 ext. 792 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

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

Lisa Kernaghan, LVT, RVT, CVT, VTS (ECC)
VSPN CE Coordinator