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Building Design for Animals
Veterinary Healthcare Associates: A Vision for the Future of Care
A healing environment is about more than just equipment and medicine—it's about comfort, compassion, and care, and this hospital was designed to deliver just that.
In 2008, a new Veterinary Healthcare Associates (VHA) facility, an advanced general practice, opened its doors. Designed by BDA, this hospital included 7 exam rooms, 2 surgery suites, and a sizeable treatment area. With a CT scanner and physical therapy room, it provided care beyond a typical general practice. This 9,600-square-foot hospital was an ambitious project, allowing VHA to serve its clients for nearly two decades, but from the very beginning the vision was always for expansion in the future.
In 2019, VHA and BDA teamed up again to design a new, bigger, more advanced veterinary hospital dedicated to specialty services and emergency care. Now, the Veterinary Healthcare Associates Specialty Referral and Emergency Center has been honored with the Hospital Design360 Competition Merit Award in the 8,000+ square foot category.
The 20,000-square-foot facility, located on the same campus as VHA’s original and still running general practice, represents a forward-thinking vision focused on providing the highest level of medical care, the most caring client experience, and superior staff wellness. The BDA-designed building was conceptualized to be a space where advanced medicine, innovative technology, and a deep sense of compassion for pets and people converge.
Advanced Veterinary Medical Care
The facility's design centers around a holistic healing environment that benefits patients, clients, and staff alike. The BDA design incorporates an array of state-of-the-art medical features, including:
- Fifteen exam rooms, including emergency exam, comfort room, and small and large exams.
- Four surgical suites designed to AAHA standards and equipped for advanced procedures.
- A centralized eight-table Treatment Hub with emergency STAT tables to ensure rapid response and efficient patient monitoring.
- Specialized treatment areas such as a hyperbaric oxygen suite, hydrotherapy, and LASER therapy.
- Dedicated oncology and internal medicine centers.
- Advanced diagnostic imaging with a 64-slice CT scanner, 1.5 Tesla MRI, two digital x-ray suites, and ultrasound.
Every feature was designed for efficiency and flow, allowing for rapid response and seamless communication. Noise, odor, and disease control were all carefully incorporated into the design of this AAHA-certified hospital.
Client Comfort
Beyond the medical, this design also prioritizes the human element. A covered portico shelters clients entering the brightly lit lobby. Inside, client care continues with spaces designed for comfort and calm. Highlights of these spaces include:
- A 650-gallon saltwater aquarium in the lobby area that creates a soothing, sensory-rich atmosphere.
- A dedicated quiet waiting room for patients who need a peaceful, safe-space to be.
- Exam rooms designed to be welcoming, not clinical.
- Natural daylight incorporated throughout the hospital, brought in via windows, clerestory and skylights.
- A unique feature is the Dog Dayz Café, an in-house coffee shop which serves specialty coffee and nutritious snacks, providing a space for clients to relax and recharge.
The goal is to promote an environment that eases stressful moments, builds trust, and provides emotional support for difficult visits.
Staff Wellbeing
Recognizing the demanding nature of veterinary work, the design for VHA includes a dedicated staff-only wellness wing. This space contains a host of features dedicated to staff wellbeing, including:
- A fully-equipped fitness center exclusively for staff.
- A meditation alcove with an Openseed meditation pod.
- A staff meeting/lounge room with kitchen amenities and glass wall view to the outdoor patio space.
- An outdoor patio with a fire pit and waterfall, allowing staff to connect with nature and build community.
In the high-stress world of emergency and specialty medicine, these spaces offer the team opportunities to decompress and recharge, supporting the VHA mission to care for the healers.
Design for the Future
From the very beginning with their general practice Veterinary Healthcare Associates had the future in mind, and that proves true to today. Not only have they built a state-of-the-art facility to advance veterinary medical care and culture now but this hospital was also designed with long-term growth in mind, with a footprint that allows for an additional 12,000 square feet of future expansion.
The recognition by the Hospital Design360 Competition Merit Award underscores VHA’s commitment to exceeding the highest standards in veterinary medicine. BDA was proud to partner with VHA to bring this amazing facility to life, designing toward their goal to provide exemplary medical care to their patients, compassionate service to their clients, and superior support to their staff.
