Vendor categories we review

Distribution, pharmaceuticals, and medical supplies are often among the largest recurring vendor expenses in a veterinary practice. Cura reviews distributor pricing, rebate structures, purchasing patterns, generic substitution opportunities, and formulary composition to identify where pricing or terms may be improved.

Common issues include fragmented purchasing across multiple vendors, rebate structures that are difficult to track, underutilized generic alternatives, and pricing schedules that have not been revisited in several years. Cura organizes spend by category and product to build a clear baseline and identify specific areas for review.

Prescription diet programs are concentrated among a small number of major vendors, but pricing, rebate thresholds, promotional structures, and volume-based incentives can still vary meaningfully by clinic and purchasing relationship.

Cura reviews prescription diet pricing, current purchasing levels, rebate eligibility, promotional structures, and direct-versus-distributor purchasing dynamics. The goal is to identify whether the clinic's current setup reflects its actual volume and clinical preferences.

Reference laboratory relationships are often renewed without detailed review. Per-test pricing, volume commitments, turnaround time expectations, exclusive arrangement language, and renewal terms can all affect the total value and flexibility of the relationship.

Cura reviews current test pricing, utilization patterns, commitment structures, renewal timing, and service-level terms. Where appropriate, Cura can also support a structured comparison of alternative reference laboratory options.

Teleradiology pricing can vary by read type, turnaround time, coverage model, subscription structure, and imaging platform requirements. As utilization grows, practices may outgrow the pricing or terms they originally accepted.

Cura reviews read fees, STAT versus routine pricing, turnaround time commitments, coverage terms, platform costs, and total cost relative to utilization. The goal is to understand whether the current arrangement still fits the practice's needs and volume.

Payment processing often includes overlooked fees, legacy pricing, equipment costs, and rate structures that are difficult to compare without a detailed review. Small differences in effective rate can create meaningful annual cost impact.

Cura reviews the full processing cost structure, including interchange-related fees, processor markups, terminal and equipment costs, PCI fees, batch fees, chargeback costs, and other ancillary charges. Cura can also compare current pricing against alternative processing models, including interchange-plus and flat-rate structures.

Phone systems, client communication platforms, texting tools, website services, review management, and digital marketing programs have become increasingly important recurring vendor categories for veterinary practices. Pricing can vary significantly by vendor, contract age, scope, and feature set.

Cura reviews phone and communications costs, VOIP and phone system pricing, contract terms, support levels, digital marketing scope, platform fees, and agency fee alignment. The goal is to identify whether the current services, pricing, and contract terms match the practice's actual needs.

Beyond the primary vendor categories, independent practices often carry a range of recurring vendor expenses that benefit from structured review. These may include insurance, software and IT licensing, waste management, office supplies, professional services, uniforms, and other recurring vendor expenses.

Individually, these categories may be smaller than pharmaceuticals, labs, or payment processing. Collectively, they can still represent meaningful spend and are often renewed without competitive review.