Looking to the rooftop

By Carolyn Chapman, special assignments editor

Drivers passing East Lake Veterinary Hospital in Dallas do a doubletake when they see dogs running across the roof of the facility. To offer obedience training in her new practice, owner Dr. Karen Ann Fling added a 2,500-square-foot roof deck. This amenity garners plenty of attention, especially when training classes are in full swing.

The deck, along with such other innovative features as a triple surgery suite and an adoption center, drew praise from the judges of Veterinary Economics' 2000 Hospital Design Competition. "This is a good plan. I like how the lab and pharmacy are an extension of the treatment area," said one judge. Another judge applauded the merits of the high-tech boarding facility.

Overcoming obstacles

A freestanding pad site hid Dr. Fling's previous 2,500-square-foot strip-mall leasehold. This lack of visibility as well as space restrictions prompted her to consider moving. Expanding into adjacent bays would prove as expensive as building a new facility, so the 1987 Texas A&M University graduate purchased a house to convert, then realized that a deed restriction prohibited a commercial building. Three years into the search, a colleague pointed out a vacated pizza restaurant on a highly visible corner less than two miles from the leasehold.

Structural problems thwarted Dr. Fling's conversion plans, but keeping the parking lot saved $100,000. After considering architects who specialize in veterinary practices, she opted for someone who offered weekly face-to-face meetings: local architect Deen Ritter, whose experience included some veterinary design. Dr. Fling's staff members helped as well; the final plan included hospital manager Nathalie Weiner's last-minute suggestions to completely reconfigure the flow of the exam rooms and pharmacy. "We redesigned half the interior, but her changes were tremendous positives," Dr. Fling asserts.

The weather wreaked havoc on construction. Heavy rains forced workers to redig plumbing trenches three times. The six-month project stretched into 18 months. In hindsight, Dr. Fling wishes she'd incorporated a penalty clause into the contract. "I didn't want sloppy workmanship just to meet a deadline, but a financial penalty for unexplained delays would've moved the project more swiftly," she says. Fortunately, Dr. Fling's bank extended financing through the delays.

As the sole owner, Dr. Fling immersed herself in the project. Despite a full practice schedule, she visited the site three times a day as the clinic neared completion. Excited about the innovations the new 8,430-square-foot facility offered, she didn't anticipate staff members' reactions during the move. "Many of them cried, and some were sentimental about leaving the old location. I didn't expect that," she admits. "I was so ready to move, I figured everyone would be." Reminding employees of the benefits and ensuring them it was difficult for everyone helped ease the transition.

Giving an open feel

From first sight, East Lake Veterinary Hospital attracts clients. A homey front porch invites pet owners to linger over a glass of iced tea. In the reception area, wood benches arranged in conversation areas separate waiting clients, and the pattern of the tiles in front of the desk mimics an area rug. Tasteful retail displays flank the reception desk, and a heavily stocked retail area is near the reception desk but out of view of waiting clients. An adoption center at the end of the reception area finds homes for hundreds of pets a year. Another popular attraction is grooming in the front corner of the hospital. "We moved it up front when the groomer suggested natural light would appeal to clients and pets," Dr. Fling says.

The new facility boasts unrestricted viewing throughout. The interior glass reflects the practice philosophy of allowing clients everywhere. Glass insets in exam-room doors help clients and pets feel less confined. A large consultation room/library provides a private place to discuss sensitive cases. And the treatment area features runs as well as three tables and multiple oxygen drops.

A unique three-table surgery suite lets the three veterinarians move between patients efficiently. "Now, all doctors can schedule surgeries at any time, which means we don't disappoint clients by postponing procedures," Dr. Fling adds.

All veterinarians use the community doctors' office, located between the exam rooms and the treatment area, to confer on cases. One of Dr. Fling's associates said the dedicated space helps her attitude toward practice. "That's a great thing for an owner to hear," Dr. Fling affirms.

In the kennels, tempered glass doors and toddler beds, which an employee purchased at thrift stores, maximize comfort for boarding pets. "I didn't want the dark, jailhouse look of most kennels," Dr. Fling says. She says dogs don't scratch the doors because they feel less confined. High windows bring in natural light, and she plans to install cameras so clients can watch boarding pets online.

The most open area at East Lake Veterinary Hospital is the roof deck, used for obedience training classes and as an oasis for visitors and staff members. A high iron fence secures the area, and potted plants and trees offer shade from the hot Texas sun. "I wanted a training room but couldn't justify the space," explains Dr. Fling. "The roof offered an alternative."

The small second floor houses office space, a conference room, and two attendants' quarters. But Dr. Fling wishes she'd installed an elevator, even though the Americans with Disabilities Act didn't require one.

The highly visible and attractive facility brought a pleasant surprise: New-client numbers doubled in the first year. And although the practice offered high-quality medicine in the former location, the new hospital showcases the high-tech care pets receive. Extra space also paved the way for more diagnostic equipment.

"Clients stop just to visit now," Dr. Fling says. She says the project delay piqued local curiosity. "Everyone wanted to know when the hospital would be done, and they were curious to step inside once we opened our doors," she says.

Carolyn Chapman, a former Veterinary Economics associate editor, is a freelance writer in Liberty, Mo.

April 2000 Veterinary Economics