Hospital Design

Don't waste your energy trying to squeeze a 15,000-square-foot hospital onto a 3,000-square-foot lot. Instead, exercise flexible thinking, creative planning, and strategic cost controls to build your dream.

Use these resources to prepare for your building project.

This doctor spent nearly 15 years planning his addition and renovation. Along the way, he learned to expect pitfalls, use long-lasting materials, and dream big.

The careful design of this 3,010-square-foot hospital and the luxurious finishings belie the small footprint and reasonable price tag.

Lack of respect for the facility can signal deficits in pride and care that hurt more than just the building if left unchecked.

Clearly separating practice functions set the tone for VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital--and created a unique design feature. Then the design team added a superbly crafted 7,850 square-foot floor plan and thoughtfully chosen materials, securing the 2005 Veterinary Economics Hospital of the Year award.

North Central Veterinary Center, a collaboration between a university veterinary school and private practitioners, proves there's strength in numbers--and frees local veterinarians from late-night emergencies

Dividing medical and ancillary services into two separate-but-connected buildings allows the team at Intermountain Pet Hospital and Pet Lodge to focus on the tasks at hand and project a more professional image.

My team finally convinced me that it's time to repaint. I like white, but am I just boring?

Gates Hafen Cochrane Architects of Boulder, Colo., supplied this brief listing of common finish materials used in veterinary care facilities, along with some "helpful hints." For more information, contact Gates Hafen Cochrane Architects at (800) 332-4413.

Chapel Associates Architects Inc. of Little Rock, Ark., supplied this checklist of suggested materials for planning a veterinary hospital. For more information, contact Chapel Associates Architects Inc. at (501) 225-5900.

Materials guide for veterinarians

Chapel Associates Architects Inc. of Little Rock, Ark., supplied this list of material and finish manufacturers and suppliers. For more information, call Chapel Associates Architects Inc. at (800) 225-5900.

After 34 years in an outdated building, this doctor decided to match the facility to the level of medicine he practiced. The result: Business doubled.

Combining history with innovation is a hallmark of New England. And Gardner Animal Care Center pays homage to that tradition by building its modern, high-tech veterinary hospital adjacent to a 233-year-old restored Massachusetts farmhouse.

My treatment area is on the small side, and I wish I could give myself more space to work. Is there a better way to arrange my equipment and supplies so I'm not tripping over everything?

The doctors spent years gathering recommendations from staff members and clients and noting desirable details in other veterinary and human hospitals. Yet the key reason for building a new facility was simply the need for more space, says Dr. Thomas Lassiter, hospital director and co-owner of Arboretum View Animal Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill.

The owners say they'd be happy to live in their new equine practice. Here's how they achieved this level of comfort.

Baby steps won't get you the facility of your dreams, these doctors say. Take the plunge, anticipate your future needs, and center the entire plan on your practice mission.

Setting goals for saving and developing a plan early helped these doctors develop the perfect new facility for West Park Animal Hospital just six inches away.

A new design that emphasizes natural light and delivers a commanding presence in the neighborhood led to a 40 percent increase in business for the 5,750-square-foot Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles.

It's not smoke and mirrors, but glass and an efficient floor plan that make Animal Health Center at Weston, a 2,600-square-foot practice, seem larger than life.

"If your clinic stinks, clients may worry that your medical care stinks, too," says Mark Hafen, AIA, an architect with Animal Arts/Gates Hafen Cochrane in Boulder, Colo. "You can't prevent noise and odors from occurring, but you can prevent them from spreading." Hafen, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member, suggests that you:

In a city famous for its parties and rich with history, Metairie Small Animal Hospital fits right in. But don't let the grandeur fool you; practices of all sizes can apply the strategies that make this a terrific hospital.

This doctor showed flexibility when her plans for Northeast Cat & Dog Hospital hit roadblocks erected by city engineers. And her patience, careful planning, and faith led her to a facility she says is "perfect."

Asking clients for input and allowing staff members to plan the new facility made for a winning combination at Magrane Pet Medical Center.

Stumbling on the ideal property brought Dr. Kenneth Haynes' plans to build a spacious, comfortable hospital to a natural fruition.

Building a spacious, staff-friendly hospital is the best advertisement for high-quality team members, say the owners of Eltham Central Veterinary Hospital.

When a seventh renovation on a 1920s roadhouse just wouldn't give Gehrman Animal Hospital the necessary flow, the owners--two brothers--built a new practice.

Renovating an empty two-story building across the street helped this feline practice attract clients, which boosted practice revenue and helped improve the quality of care Dr. Diane Steinberg offered.