1. At the first meeting with our contractor (Chad from Keller, Inc.), I said that the only thing I really wanted was heated exam tables for my kitty patients. The day before we opened, the custom-made tables were installed. Each exam table has a heated bowl in the center, and most cat patients love it! Our clinic cat, Tinka, can often be found napping in an open room, taking full advantage of the warm bowl. They are also great for warming my hands on cold days!
2. In the old space, there were two offices: one for my practice manager and me, and another shared by the other three doctors and technicians. The offices weren’t close together, and we didn’t “visit” each other very often. In the new building, the doctors all share an office. This has been great for collaboration! You can be certain that if your pet is sick, has had X-rays or an ultrasound, or has unusual lab results, at least two (and possibly all five!) veterinarians have reviewed the case and contributed to the treatment plan.
3. Each of the 7 exam rooms has a different wallpaper and color scheme. It always makes me smile when I look at it. Interestingly, although all the pictures are cartoon cats or dogs, at least two cats in one room have hissed at the wallpaper. I maintain that those cats can read “meow” on the paper, and it means something to them!
4. We now have a large break room area where we can all gather for staff meetings and actually see everyone without a post in the way! It is easier to have lunch in small and large groups, and there is a large TV so we can watch educational webinars together.
5. At the old clinic, our washer and dryer were just regular household appliances that didn’t last very long, and laundry frequently piled up. But in the new space, we were able to install commercial-grade machines, including a gas-powered dryer, so towels are washed and dried more quickly.
6. Because we ask people to call from their cars, the drive-through window has been fantastic for people just needing to pick up prescriptions or drop off stool or urine samples. It is particularly nice when there is inclement weather!
7. We had a designated Comfort Room in our old space, but it was an odd shape and not very “homey.” Our new comfort room (where we do euthanasias) is in a quiet area near an infrequently used door and, I think, feels more like being at home.
8. We have twice as many runs and cages for dogs as in our old building, as well as a room just for cats and their treatment. There is thick insulation between the dog and cat area, and you can’t hear any barking in the cat room at all! The cat room is close to the reception area, laundry, and surgery areas, making it easy to check on cat patients and ensure they are doing well.
9. We have so many prescription requests that we designated one of our assistants as a Pharmacy Tech. Holly verifies prescriptions, ensures the pet is up-to-date on vaccinations, calls prescriptions to outside labs, monitors prescriptions for our online stores, and sorts through the hundreds of emails and texts we get every day. We also have an Inventory Manager who ensures we don’t run out of medications or vaccines.
10. Last, but certainly not least, I love the Four Lakes team! From Cassie, who has been an integral part of the practice for over 10 years, to Brenda, our practice manager, who instills kindness and empathy into all of us, to all the excellent and compassionate veterinarians I work with, to the hard-working certified veterinary technicians who do so much “behind-the-scenes” care for our patients, to the conscientious veterinary assistants who are the front line help in the exam rooms, and our friendly, dedicated receptionists.
I hope you also find things to appreciate in our new building, and I thank you for making the move with us!
Dr. Scarlett