Showcasing New Products
Two new products are also showcased within the catalog. The new Scrub Sink and new Elite Grooming Tub have both been designed with radiused corners for easy cleaning. Learn more about these products as well as our other products in the new catalog.
Also found inside the catalog:
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design, Shor-Line Happenings, New Products, Industry Trends
Brought to you by Contributing Editor Ashley M. Shoults of Animal Arts.
“How much space do I need to meet the needs of my practice?” This is probably the most common question veterinarians ask when they embark on the journey to build a new hospital. But determining the size of a new hospital that meets your requirements is no simple task. It’s a multistep process that should include input from not only you, but also your staff, banker, accountant, management consultant, architect, and contractor.
Some of the different variables to consider when determining hospital size include:
Estimating Size
Here are a few general rules-of-thumb that can help determine the size of your hospital. These rules are not hard and fast, but they serve as a starting point for the planning phase of the project.
Budget
This is probably the single most significant factor in determining the size of your hospital. When estimating your budget, be sure to allow not only for the construction and development costs, but also for the costs of new equipment, additional staff, utilities, relocation costs, etc. Approximate construction costs for veterinary facilities currently are:
The costs above can vary significantly depending on quality of construction, design features, level and durability of finishes, capacity and quality of mechanical systems, the availability of materials and labor, and your location. However, these estimates are a good starting point for moving in the right direction with your preliminary budget.
Words of Advice
Starting down the path of building a new veterinary hospital can be an uncertain process. But it doesn’t have to be. Seek help from those around you. Choosing accountants, lenders, architects, and contractors who have experience building veterinary facilities can take the stress out of the process. Regardless of your budget, remain open-minded during the planning phase of your project. It’s almost a given that your wish list will exceed your budget and/or the space available, but remaining open-minded will help you find a balance between your ultimate wishes and affordability.
Keep in mind that you will be living and working in this new building for many years to come. While you need to be realistic about your budget, you should plan for both today and the future. Consider possible expansion needs and create open, flexible spaces that will allow you to accommodate upcoming changes. If you’re short on funds now, you can build a bigger exterior shell, finish the minimum amount of interior space to get started, and then finish the remainder of the interior as funds become available.
If you are thinking about building a new veterinary hospital soon, take the time to do your research and get your ducks in a row. Ask for help from others in the industry and hire consultants with experience building veterinary hospitals. Start the process with a realistic idea of how big your hospital needs to be compared to what you can afford. This will help make the initial planning phase of your project go much more smoothly and minimize any surprises along the way!
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Contributing Editor Bio
(from Animal Arts Website)
Ashley joined Animal Arts in 2006 as a young, aspiring designer. She has since proven her ability to see a project through from start to finish with great care and attention to detail. Ashley has helped spearhead many of Animal Arts' small-scale veterinary projects, including the Morningside Animal Hospital in Port Saint Lucie, Florida and the Upstate Veterinary Specialists satellite hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.
Most recently, Ashley was in charge of the design and construction of a 35,000 square-foot luxury boarding facility in Sterling, Virginia.
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design, Contributing Editors, Animal Arts Editors
We don't have to tell you what you already know.
Walk on scales are predominately located in the reception area for many reasons. Weight management and proper medication dosing are the two primary reasons. While many scale displays are out of view of the receptionist, Shor-Line’s new Shor-Connect and Remote Display allow the proper weight recording without the front desk personnel having to leave their station. Now that makes sense!
We are excited to announce Shor-Line has expanded the functionality of the canine scale beyond what the animal health industry knows it to be. With the introduction of Shor-Connect and Remote Display, weight is now visible on a PC or on a display mounted or propped in a location away from the scale platform. No tethering needed! Utilizing wireless technology Shor-Line’s K9-W8 and Blue-Line canine scales can be operated from a PC or select Windows tablets with the Shor-Connect models. The Remote Display models feature a second display that allows remote visibility of the canine’s weight.
Testimonials
These new products have been field tested and designed with your daily tasks first and foremost.
“Love the scale! It’s so much more convenient to have weight and other info all on the same screen.” Megan Pangle, Oxford Animal Hospital
“This was a great invention. Should of come up with a long time ago.”
Lisa Epting, Oxford Animal Hospital
A new way to shop for scales.
Shor-Line’s philosophy of canine scales starts with the functionality of how a scale is used by our customers. If you want to see and operate a scale on a PC or select Windows tablets then you will be eager to try the Shor-Connect option. If you wish to see the display at the scale and in a remote location (maybe across the room) the Remote Display is the option for you! And if you simply want a scale that is accurate and reliable our Display with Operation Keys will suite you. The new Scale Builder tool on our website makes it a breeze to choose the features needed to build a scale to fit your practice, bringing this philosophy right to your fingertips.
Build Your Scale
The Scale Builder leads you through the process of building your scale. Starting with the functionality. How do you want to use your scale? You can choose from three options: Display with Operation Keys, Remote Display or Shor-Connect. From there you choose your mount (wall or post) then the platform (K9-W8 or Blue-Line). At the end of the tool you are provided a part number that is generated based on your selections. You may add that product to your Wish List from the tool or learn more about your selection by viewing the product’s page. Once a product is added to your Wish List it only takes a few more steps to request a quote. Start building!
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design, Promotions, Shor-Line Happenings, New Products, Industry Trends
If the outside of your new clinic is as unique as the inside, you’ll impress clients— before they step in the door.
By Sarah A. Moser
Veterinary facilities come in two basic shapes: squares and rectangles. But even though your new clinic won’t be the next Guggenheim, it doesn’t have to be boring.
“Architecture has the power to identify who you are and what your practice offers,” says Jeff Clark, AIA, of Architectural Werks in Kirkland, Wash. “Your building needs to stand out and make a statement—a sort of visual sound bite.”
Clark, whose father and brother are veterinarians, worked in veterinary practices until he started college. Today he designs most types of commercial and residential buildings—including veterinary clinics. One of Clark’s recent projects in Bothell, Wash., perfectly illustrates his ideas for creating eye-catching exteriors.
Create Visual Intrigue
North Creek Pet Hospital cuts an imposing figure on the landscape. The first element that stands out is the curvature of the roof and frontentrance overhang. It’s easy to see why incorporating curves can make a rectangular building look less boxy.
Another striking exterior feature is the combination of corrugated steel and concrete block. Clark used wood only in the braces for the front-entrance and side overhangs.
“Corrugated steel is fast and easy to put up, and it has a technical edge to it,” Clark says. “Plus, a vertical or horizontal application provides different shadow patterns and adds intrigue to the face of a building.”
Juxtaposed against the vertical steel sections are concrete blocks placed in a contrasting horizontal pattern, which adds even more visual appeal and makes the building look wider.
Concrete blocks can be ordered with a variety of face finishes, such as ground (smooth) or split (rough), and they come in a number of earthen colors, including buff, red, and yellow.
“By alternating the blocks’ color and texture, you can create all kinds of patterns,” Clark
says. “Any combination will distract the eye from a monolithic element.”
Concrete blocks also help give buildings a sense of permanence and belonging. “You want a facility to look like it’s growing out of the land instead of floating on top of it,” Clark says. “The blocks create strong bases that ground the building into the site.”
Another material that ties a building to its surroundings is stone (real or synthetic), which is widely available in numerous colors. If you want to incorporate stones into your exterior, Clark recommends choosing colors that fit your region. Using unsuitable colors will detract from your building’s appearance.
Add a Punch of Color
Twenty years ago, most public spaces in veterinary practice interiors were decorated in blues, greens, and grays. These colors exuded cleanliness and professionalism. Today’s trend, however, leans toward warm, earthy colors like red, yellow, deep brown, mahogany, and terra cotta—and it’s not by chance.
“Veterinary facilities are taking a cue from coffee houses,” Clark says. “The goal is to make a practice an inviting place that clients want to visit, not one they have to visit.”
Because warmer tones convey a more comfortable, welcoming atmosphere inside public spaces, Clark says most practice owners want their exteriors to invoke the same feelings.
At North Creek Pet Hospital, Clark chose terra cotta for the metal roof and some of the concrete blocks, contrasting the predominantly gray exterior with a bold, warm color. Although metal roofing allows more color variation, it doesn’t take a lot of color to stand out. Clark frequently sees buildings with muted colors in small accents that really make a statement. The bottom line: Don’t be afraid of color.
Night and Day: Cater to Both
Most practitioners don’t think about how their facilities will look at night, but Clark says it’s an important consideration, especially in regions where it gets dark at 4 p.m.
“Creating light and shadow is the best way to change how your practice looks from day to night,” Clark says. For example, notice how different homes appear at night when they’re illuminated by one bright garage-mounted light vs. numerous creatively placed ground-mounted lights. The latter choice, Clark says, creates dramatic shadows, lights up the home, and makes it more inviting.
To create shadows, Clark suggests incorporating interesting overhanging elements. “Shading trellises in wood or metal create a soft shadow pattern over the face of the building for a neat effect,” he says.
What unique statement will your new clinic make? Only you can answer that question, Clark says. Just remember that the right kind of exterior architecture can drive clients to your front door.”
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design
What should I check for when screening potential building contractors?
Plenty—especially for a decision as important as this. According to ContractorFind.com, a Web site created by Add-Vantage Software Inc. (www.addvantage.com), you’ll want to make sure the contractor is:
Next up, verify that the contractor will:
Finally, wrap up the process by doing your homework:
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design
The best boarding facilities and services are designed with pets—and their owners—in mind.
By Kristi Reimer
When clients bring their pets to your boarding facility, do they look worried, apprehensive, or guiltridden? If so, then you’ve got work to do. Your facility and services need to elicit smiles from pet owners who feel perfectly comfortable leaving their “family members” in your care. Much of that hinges on what clients smell, hear, and see.
Wipe Out Odor
One of the biggest client turnoffs is odor, says E. John Knapp, AIA, an architect specializing in kennel design. If you have concrete floors, give your kennel this test right now: Pour some water on the floor. If the floor turns dark, that means the concrete has absorbed the urine, and odors will follow. The worst part: “Concrete smells last forever,” says Knapp.
One solution is to cover the concrete so that it can’t absorb liquid. Knapp recommends glazed quarry tile with epoxy grout joints, but less costly materials are also available. One practical strategy is to use commercial-grade sheet vinyl. Install the flooring with the room empty, roll it 6 to 8 inches up the sides of the walls without a cut at the base, and place the kennels and runs on top. If it’s necessary to create seams, have them sealed with heat because chemically sealed joints tend to loosen over time.
Another essential element of an odor-free facility is ventilation. According to Knapp, a big fan that sucks air out of the room doesn’t exhaust the air properly. He recommends using the same type of heating and air conditioning systems found in office buildings. “They pump fresh air in and bad air out,” Knapp says. “Plus, clients want clean air and comfortable temperatures for their pets.”
Knock Out Noise
To control the barking frenzy, Knapp has a simple solution: Treat the entire ceiling and top section of the walls above the doors with a spray-on cellulose material called K-13 (see www. spray-on.com). This substance, which comes in six colors, absorbs sound and keeps it from reverberating around the room. If you’re designing a new facility, Knapp recommends at least 12-foot ceilings, which provide even better sound control.
You also need to consider sound control from room to room and from inside to outside. Contrary to popular belief, a regular wall with fiberglass insulation does not muffle enough sound for most kennels or city planning commissions, Knapp says. The average wall stops up to 35 decibels, and most cities require sound control of 50 to 55 decibels. Drywall manufacturers produce dozens of standard walls with various sound transmission classes, so consult an architect or builder to help you
make the appropriate choice.
Pay Attention to Appearance
As many retailers have discovered, one of the most important considerations for drawing and keeping customers is an attractive building, both inside and out. “Just think about the new Target stores,” Knapp says. “Target has figured out the importance of a goodlooking building.”
For the interior, think open, airy, and sunshiny. Your boarding space should look bigger than it is, and high ceilings and lots of windows can help accomplish this. In addition, clients like bright and cheery colors, which give an impression of cleanliness. Some practice owners have even hired artists to paint murals on the walls.
Keep Cats Content
A big hit with felines, Knapp says, are floor-to-ceiling cat condos with shelves at various heights and large windows to indulge the occupants’ birdchasing fantasies. “No cat—or cat owner—is happy with a 30-inch cage,” Knapp says.
One of Knapp’s clients in New Mexico found success with a bagel-shaped cat kennel built around a center atrium. The exterior walls are glass, so cats in the condos around the outside of the building can look out, and cats around the inside can look into the atrium. “The public is nuts about this facility,” Knapp says. “The owner built 40 condos, and, on average, 80% are occupied. It has made for happy cats and happy customers.”
All in all, Knapp says, if practitioners start thinking like retailers, figuring out what customers want and giving it to them instead of cutting costs at every corner, the public will respond with enthusiasm. “One of my clients built a beautiful 15,000-square-foot kennel with all the luxuries, and he broke even in three months,” Knapp says. “It’s a whole different attitude that pays off in the end.”
Tags: Animal Care, Facility Design, Hospital Design, Industry Trends
At what point in the construction process should I order built-in items like cages and cabinetry?
“Cabinetry and cages are installed after contractors finish the lighting, ceilings, and painting,” says Dan Chapel, AIA, of Chapel Associates Architects in Little Rock, Ark. However, the true determinant lies at ground level, he says. “Cabinetry should be installed before the flooring is in place, but cages should be installed after.”
The date you will need to order these items, Chapel says, will depend on the time the manufacturer needs to process the custom order. You could be placing an order anywhere from four to six weeks before completion of the construction benchmarks listed above.
Of course, this scenario assumes you’ve done your homework. Translation: The date you order the items is not the time to decide what you want. According to Chapel, this should be done early on by browsing through manufacturers’ catalogs and Web sites. Better yet, attend a national conference so you can actually see and touch the products and take advantage of the sale prices manufacturers often extend at trade shows. “If you want to buy right then so you can benefit from the sale pricing, ask the company to store your goods and deliver them at a later time,” says Chapel. “If that’s not possible, make sure you can store the equipment properly. Cages and cabinetry are valuable—the last thing you want is for the items to sit somewhere where they could be damaged or stolen.”
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design
How can I control noise with a cathedral ceiling?
Even though angled surfaces reflect less noise, sound reduction is still a concern with cathedral ceilings, says Sal Longo Jr., co-owner of Crosby Longo Architecture Studio in New Orleans. You can alleviate that concern by planning for sound control before you build. His advice:
Construct the cathedral ceiling as a suspended ceiling (also known as a drop ceiling) with acoustic tile. Suspended acoustic tile is more expensive than sheetrock, but you’ll likely save on labor costs because of the time-consuming nature of sheetrocking high, angled spaces. Longo says this additional cost is worth the extra sound control. Plus, if you want something fancier than a plain, grid-type ceiling, acoustic tiles come in decorative styles and colors.
If your practice already has a cathedral ceiling, you can solve your noise problems simply and cost-effectively by hanging acoustic baffles. These lightweight panels can be installed on ceilings or walls, and they come in many colors and patterns, too.
Before installing the baffles, Longo suggests hiring a company to test your facility for decibel levels and sound reflection. The test results will help you choose the correct baffle thickness and placement.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or working with an existing ceiling, another chief consideration is waterproofing, Longo says. For cathedral ceilings in kennel or grooming areas, install moisture-resistant acoustic tiles or baffles.
Cathedral ceilings give clinics an open, airy feel that clients and employees love. Don’t let noise spoil the atmosphere.
Clients spend the most time here, so let the design illustrate your level of care and competence.
Once upon a time, veterinary exam rooms were comfortable, uncluttered, and easy-to-clean areas where practitioners performed physical examinations on pets. This definition isn’t wrong, it’s just outdated. Today’s exam rooms need more features that reflect the high-quality care and customer service clients have come to expect. When it’s time to design or renovate your exam rooms, modernize them by ensuring they fit these criteria suggested by Dennis Cloud, DVM, owner of Cloud Veterinary Center in St. Louis, Mo.
1. Plentiful
Fit as many exam rooms into your clinic as possible. “Contemporary exam rooms are used for more than physical exams,” Dr. Cloud says. “They’re also used to educate clients, schedule follow-up appointments, and check out clients. We have two rooms per doctor now, and we frequently need another.”
2. Spacious
Make the rooms large enough to use the space efficiently. “It’s not unusual for me to have a mother, three kids, and two Labradors in one exam room,” Dr. Cloud says. “You need enough space to sit down with clients, talk to them, and put them at ease.”
3. Flexible
Equip at least one exam room with a mobile, lifting exam table. If a client arrives with a dog that’s been hit by a car, you can take the table out to the car and return directly to the exam room with the dog. In other rooms, folding wall tables save space and eliminate a barrier between you and clients. They can also create a more open feel in exam/grieving rooms.
4. Well-Organized
Adequate storage space is essential for a thoroughly equipped exam room, so plan ahead. And don’t forget client education materials. Dr. Cloud stores his inside the cabinets and displays them in wall racks.
5. Tech-Ready
Every exam room should have a computer keyboard and monitor, Dr. Cloud says. This allows staff members to check medical records, schedule follow-up appointments, and take payments. Often, clients feel more at ease when they can talk about money or credit in private. (With wireless capabilities, staff members can use laptop computers. Flat-panel, wall-mounted monitors save space.)
To educate clients more effectively, upgrade your clinic with digital technology (e.g., digital photography, radiography, ultrasonography, endoscopy, and electrocardiograms) so clients can see images and results on the exam room monitors.
One misplaced door, room, or closet can throw off your entire traffic flow, so heed this advice for creating an efficient floor plan.
By Sarah A. Moser
Talk to anyone who works in a poorly planned hospital, and you’ll probably hear the words “if only” quite frequently. If only the exam room opened to the treatment area; if only the storage area wasn’t so far from the reception desk; if only the door swung the opposite way into surgery; and so on. Details that may seem minor can pose major inconveniences to doctors and staff members. To make your days flow more smoothly, two experts in the hospital design field share their top peeves with floor plans and offer wiser alternatives.
Mistake 1: One-door exam rooms
Making doctors and clients use the same door to exam rooms just doesn’t work, says Dr. Ross
Clark, a veterinarian in Tulsa, Okla., who’s been in the business since 1966. He says tripping over leashes and fighting traffic congestion in the hallway are constant battles when you only have one entrance and exit.
Privacy is another issue, says Brad Rabinowitz, AIA, an architect in Burlington, Vt. “Doctors often get sidetracked by staff members in the hallway between appointments,” he says. “Separate entrances minimize interruptions.”
With veterinary hospital design making up nearly 30 percent of his business, Rabinowitz recommends planning a layout— including the number and location of exam room doors—with your specific needs in mind. “There’s no universal way to lay out a hospital,” he says. “Just mentally run through your daily routes to see what works best for you.” For example, if you want staff members to bill clients in the exam room, consider the steps a receptionist or assistant must take to reach those rooms.
Mistake 2: Storage issues
“Almost all hospitals shortchange their storage areas,” Dr. Clark says. Rabinowitz agrees, and he recommends storing items near their point of use. “Having only one central supply area doesn’t work,” he says. “It’s best to incorporate ample storage space in exam rooms, treatment areas, and surgical prep areas and use a central supply area for stocking long-term supplies.”
Don’t forget about food storage as well. More and more practices are dispensing food, and that presents a real challenge. “It’s heavy, and some places move a lot of it,” Rabinowitz says. His
solution: Create a smaller storage or food retail area near the reception desk so staff members don’t have to haul bags back and forth across the hospital. To make unloading and stocking large quantities of food easier, Dr. Clark recommends locating the central storage area near the back of the hospital with its own separate entrance.
Mistake 3: Separate entrance and exit doors
“From time immemorial, veterinarians have worked hard to get clients in one door and out another,” says Dr. Clark. “But unless you’re building a large hospital with a completely separate checkout area, most people have a natural tendency to go back out the door they came in.”
Although Clark thinks the theory behind separate entrances and exits is a good one, he doesn’t think it’s realistic for smaller hospitals. “Separate doors are confusing and inconvenient for clients,” he says. “You get new clients all the time, so you’ll constantly be educating them on something that doesn’t bring much benefit anyway.”
Mistake 4: Pets parading through public areas
Pets need to be taken outside multiple times a day from various places in the hospital. But according to Rabinowitz, transporting pets through public areas isn’t a good idea. “It’s best to make a clear path from the runs or wards to the outside and keep pet exit doors out of public view.” He also recommends placing outdoor pet areas away from delivery entrances, staff entrances, and staff break or lunch areas.
Mistake 5: Grooming areas that open directly into public areas
Although placing the grooming area off the reception area is entertaining for clients and a good advertisement for the service, it poses a health concern, Dr. Clark says. The accumulation of hair in the grooming area can get tracked into the public areas or sterile treatment areas. To reduce contamination, he suggests designing grooming-area entrances that open into hallways or make team members pass through two sets of doors. While practice owners and architects still make plenty of floor plan mistakes, Rabinowitz says the average hospital is much better than it used to be because veterinarians are continuallylearning and improving their practices, Rabinowitz says. “Good veterinary design has become a standard of the industry,” he says. “I don’t think many professionals apply the same importance to their spaces as veterinarians do, and that benefits pets, clients, and the entire team.
Tags: Facility Design, Hospital Design