2015 Veterinary Economics Hospital Design People's Choice Award winner: Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Check out photos and floor plans of all the entries, then vote for your favorite.
Online voters picked Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital in Berlin, Connecticut, as the 2015 Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Competition People's Choice Award winner. And location is the thing for this champion. The 2,048-square-foot conversion project is located in a commercial plaza just off the intersection of two high-traffic throughways for commuters, making it easily accessible for clients to see and find the hospital.
The People's Choice award is chosen by voters on dvm360.com from the entire slate of Hospital Design Competition entrants. Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital owner Christine Puskaric, DVM, wrote in her entry that two major factors drove the design process: People consider their pets members of their family, and most pets are unhappy in the veterinary hospital environment. The philosophy behind the design was to present an environment that conveyed comfort and compassion. This was accomplished with:
> Warm and relaxing hues in the paint scheme and countertop colors
> Separate exam rooms for cats, small dogs and large dogs or multi-pet appointments. The hospital's largest exam table folds into the wall to allow enough space for family members to gather for end-of-life procedures without being crowded.
> A 10-gallon fish tank to entertain feline patients in the cat-only exam room.
> A treatment area with easy access to isolation, surgery, radiology, the dog ward, the staff break room and the doctor's office for monitoring and treatment of patients.
Compassionate Care was built on a strict budget, but with careful planning there was room to provide state-of-the-art diagnostic and monitoring devices, something that Dr. Puskaric felt was essential to providing outstanding care. Dr. Puskaric also focused on design choices that support workflow. These features include:
> Grommets built into cabinet doors and countertops to allow for wires to be hidden and easy disposal of garbage and sharps
> Exhaust fans for odor control in every exam room.
> Full-panel glass on the isolation ward to monitor patients without entering the room. A separate drain-and-hose system in isolation keeps contamination contained.
> A surgery prep area and cage banks with ceiling-mounted curtain tracks and pendant IV poles as well as ceiling-mounted drop-down oxygen lines.
Here's what voters had to say about Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital:
“Dr. Puskaric's hospital is new, clean and efficient. I've followed her practice for years. This is a top-notch use of space, and she's a fantastic doctor.”
“Very pet friendly-great look.”
“I like the colors this hospital used. They are warm and welcoming. Not sterile.”
“Has a welcoming, calming atmosphere.”
“Truly lives up to its name!”
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital, Berlin, Connecticut
Owner: Dr. Christine Puskaric
Doctors: 1
Exam rooms: 3
Cost/sq. ft.: $113.17
Total cost: $436,000
Building cost: $231,774 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 2,048
Structure type: Leasehold conversion building
Click here for a full photo tour of Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital.
Click through the pages below to see the rest of this year's entries.
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists, West Palm Beach, Florida
Owner: Dr. Robert G. Roy
Doctors: 19
Exam rooms: 11
Cost/sq. ft.: $171
Total cost: $11,150,000
Building cost: $6,000,000 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 35,000
Structure type: New freestanding building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center, Chicago, Illinois
Owners: Drs. Jack Mackenzie, DACVIM; Michale Podell, DACVIM; Seth Ghantous DACVIM
Doctors: 6
Exam rooms: 5
Cost/sq. ft.: $325.82
Total cost: $4,634,734.82
Building cost: $2,633,246 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 3,125
Structure type: New freestanding building
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Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital, Thousand Oaks, California
Owner: Dr. Todd Hughes
Doctors: 15
Exam rooms: 12
Cost/sq. ft.: $184
Total cost: $4,595,662
Building cost: $3,130,669 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 17,000
Structure type: Freestanding conversion building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Country Club Veterinary Clinic, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Owners: Drs. Christine M. Mocklin; Martha P. Briley
Doctors: 2
Exam rooms: 5
Cost/sq. ft.: $120.55
Total cost: $1,239,200
Building cost: $607,000 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 5,035
Structure type: New freestanding building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center, Dunwoody, Georgia
Owner: Dr. CL Johnson III
Doctors: 2
Exam rooms: 4
Cost/sq. ft.: $135
Total cost: $938,000
Building cost: $488,000 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 1,704
Structure type: Leasehold conversion
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Long Animal Hospital, Charlotte, North Carolina
Owners: Drs. Richard E. Killough; Richard B. Killough
Doctors: 12
Exam rooms: 10
Cost/sq. ft.: $155.07
Total cost: $8,107,051.07
Building cost: $4,838,798 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 31,203
Structure type: New freestanding
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Animal Emergency Center, Orlando, Florida
Owner: Dr. Holly G. Brown-Tabbenor
Doctors: 3
Exam rooms: 5
Cost/sq. ft.: $123.06
Total cost: $1,046,640
Building cost: $786,640 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 16,877
Structure type: Freestanding addition/alteration
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Town Center Animal Clinic, Suwanee, Georgia
Owner: Dr. Alida Baroco
Doctors: 1
Exam rooms: 2
Cost/sq. ft.: $129
Total cost: $393,000
Building cost: $0 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 1,704
Structure type: Leasehold conversion
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Atwater Veterinary Center, Atwater, California
Owners: Drs. Charles M. Copeland; Carolyn L. Chiffelle; Paul Elliott Cook; Nicole Maria Ekblom
Doctors: 7
Exam rooms: 4
Cost/sq. ft.: $308
Total cost: $2,438,853
Building cost: $1,436,300 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 5,496
Structure type: Freestanding new building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort, Frederick, Maryland
Owner: Dr. William Amoroso
Doctors: 4
Exam rooms: 4
Cost/sq. ft.: $176
Total cost: $7,440,000
Building cost: $5,300,000 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 30,000
Structure type: Freestanding new building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey
Owner: Dr. Charles Westfield
Doctors: 3
Exam rooms: 6
Cost/sq. ft.: $230.42
Total cost: $4,320,473
Building cost: $2,009,294 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 9,523
Structure type: New freestanding building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'n Biscuit, Huntsville, Alabama
Owner: Dr. Kevin M. Lowe
Doctors: 3
Exam rooms: 4
Cost/sq. ft.: $211.49
Total cost: $4,256,782
Building cost: $2,358,067 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 11,150
Structure type: New freestanding building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
East Lake Veterinary Center, Killeen, Texas
Owner: Dr. Michael J. Joyner
Doctors: 3
Exam rooms: 5
Cost/sq. ft.: $116.33
Total cost: $1,101,143
Building cost: $698,000 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 6,000
Structure type: New freestanding building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
Flint River Animal Hospital and Bed 'N Biscuit
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center
Bear Valley Veterinary Care Center, Denver, Colorado
Owner: Dr. Carola Stevenson
Doctors: 2
Exam rooms: 4
Cost/sq. ft.: $54.55
Total cost: $1,575,219
Building cost: $458,223 (building only; excludes land purchase, landscaping, parking lot, etc.)
Square footage: 8,400
Structure type: Freestanding conversion building
Full list of entrants:
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists
Chicago Veterinary Cancer and Rehabilitation Center
Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital
Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital
Country Club Veterinary Clinic
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center
Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Luxury Pet Resort
Hunterdon Hills Animal Hospital
