Vet Independent was established to address a critical need in the veterinary industry: providing independent practices with cost-effective access to veterinary medicines and supplies. Independent veterinary practices often struggle to achieve competitive pricing due to the dominance of large buying groups and corporate structures that control rebate schemes. Vet Independent’s subscription-based cooperative model offers significant savings by passing on a larger portion of rebates to its members, thereby helping practices maximise profitability in a challenging, corporatised market with tight profit margins.
Vet Independent partnered with Remote to create a digital rebate calculation platform that streamlines and automates the rebate process for veterinary practices. The platform includes both an administrative backend and a member-facing app. Administrators can onboard new practices, manage product and rebate data, and handle monthly rebate calculations with ease. On the member side, veterinary practices can log in to view discounts, track their purchases, and access detailed rebate summaries each month.
This system integrates data uploads from wholesalers and manufacturers, reconciles disparate data, and automates rebate calculations. Monthly rebates are processed efficiently, and integration with Xero ensures seamless accounting. Practices receive automated notifications and can log in to view a complete breakdown of their savings.
The primary challenge in this project was creating a robust, adaptable system to handle various data formats from multiple wholesalers and manufacturers. Each supplier provided data in different structures, requiring the platform to include flexible mapping capabilities for accurate rebate calculations.
Another challenge involved creating a secure, user-friendly interface for practices to access personalised rebate information. The platform needed to ensure data privacy for each practice and maintain clarity in tracking monthly rebate amounts and purchase history, minimising the administrative workload.
With the launch of the rebate calculation platform, Vet Independent has transformed the way veterinary practices manage and maximise their rebates. Practices now benefit from transparent, real-time insights into their savings, freeing them from the complex, manual processes previously needed to track rebates. This digital solution has enabled practices to save significantly each month and strengthened their financial position in a competitive industry.
The platform has also reinforced Vet Independent’s value as a cooperative partner, helping independent practices maintain financial resilience without the need for corporate affiliations. This streamlined approach has bolstered Vet Independent’s reputation as an advocate for independent veterinary practices, delivering clear, measurable cost savings that support sustainable growth.
