Drive-through windows maximize pharmacy efficiency

Dr. H. Dwayne Allen, owner of Hillside Animal Clinic in Floyds Knobs, Ind., was tired of a jam-packed lobby with people waiting to pick up prescriptions for their pets. So when he and the practice's co-owners built a new facility last year, they gave special consideration to the pharmacy. They designed the entire building around it.

Now, clients who visit Hillside Animal Clinic, a 2009 Hospital Design Competition Merit Award winner, can drive up to the pharmacy pickup window. And an indoor pickup window for team members provides a quick and easy way for technicians to grab medications on the go. This system also means that all of the practice's inventory is kept in one controlled area—an important safety consideration.

Medicine to go: Physically disabled clients appreciate the drive-up window at Hillside Animal Clinic in Floyds Knobs, Ind. (Photos courtesy of Dr. H. Dwayne Allen)