In the very first episode of the Inventory Nation Podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Caitlin Shaw, LVT, the practice manager at Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York, who has been managing inventory for over 10 years.

Caitlin graduated from SUNY Canton, earning her Associates’s degree in Veterinary Science Technology and Bachelors’s in Veterinary Practice Management and joined the team at Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York in 2011.  She is also a member of the American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians (ASVDT).  Hailing from Fulton originally but now living in LaFayette, she’s gained experience with a wide range of patients while working at a variety of practices in the Central and Upstate New York areas.  Caitlin shares her home with her husband Carl, son Devin, a Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix named Delilah (Lilah), and her spunky cat, Guinevere (Gwen).

During our conversation, Caitlin shares her advice with other inventory managers: “Try to take advantage of all available resources, ask questions, network, ask people on Facebook group, the Veterinary Inventory Strategy Network, and Vetcove discussion boards. Question the methods that are in place when you take over, ask yourself, “is there a better way to do this?”. It doesn’t have to all be changed overnight, it’s a process, it will take time to make the system your own. But, it’s all about looking at each process, and saying “is this the best way I can be doing this?” and if not, what are some other ways and other resources to reach out to and see about other options that might be a better fit. Always be flexible and be willing to learn, grow, and change!”

• Reorder Tags – Your distributors have free reorder tags that you can place on your inventory items. Note from Nicole: I recommend using reorder tags on products that aren’t tracked well in your practice management system (ie. syringes, gauze, needles, etc) or for things you want an added, double-check reorder point for.
• Vetcove (veterinary-specific purchasing platform) – https://www.vetcove.com
• Veterinary Inventory Strategy Network – https://www.veterinaryisn.com
• Facebook Veterinary Inventory Management Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/veterinaryinventory/