{"id":8022,"date":"2020-06-01T00:00:44","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T07:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=8022"},"modified":"2022-06-15T17:46:19","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T17:46:19","slug":"pathogens-covid-19-veterinary-clinics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/pathogens-covid-19-veterinary-clinics\/","title":{"rendered":"Squeaky Clean"},"content":{"rendered":"

Modern veterinary hospital design has long focused on pathogen control and biosecurity, but to be extra safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, let\u2019s review recommended strategies and features. The ideas laid out below are most applicable to clinics scheduled to be built or renovated, but a surprising number can be incorporated into existing facilities at minimal disruption. All of them support best practices and evolving protocols.<\/p>\n

Entry Vestibules<\/h3>\n

Double sets of doors are usually installed in extreme climates to conserve energy, as an after-hours security measure or as animal containment to prevent an off-leash dog\u2019s dash to freedom. Today, they also can be used as a protected no-contact handoff point between clients and the veterinary team.<\/p>\n

For example, a scheduled client can call upon arrival. After initial intake\u00a0information is exchanged, the client is instructed to leave the pet in the vestibule, either in a carrier or on a leash hook. The staff can then bring the dog or cat into the hospital and disinfect the carrier. Check out and discharge can be done in reverse.<\/p>\n

Direct-Access Exam Rooms<\/h3>\n

Many of the hospitals I design have a comfort room for euthanasia<\/a> or client consultation. The room can have either a direct or near-direct exit door so that a grieving owner can leave in private. These rooms also function to limit person-to-person contact and minimize anxiety for fearful or aggressive dogs and cats.<\/p>\n

As social-distancing restrictions are eased, the room can serve as a middle ground between today\u2019s reality and the traditional waiting room setup. My firm is now advocating for more than one direct-access exam room.<\/p>\n

I foresee the embracing of app-supported mobile check-ins, a natural extension to app-based mobile pay and medical tracking. The days of clipboards and paper forms will soon be in the past.<\/p>\n

Waiting Areas<\/h3>\n

Reception areas need to serve modified functions in a post-COVID-19 world. When social distancing is in effect, few people will be seated close by for any length of time. As restrictions are eased, the waiting area will be more for staging than sitting. Fewer seats spread farther apart will be the norm.<\/p>\n

At a recent project meeting, a client told me how the clinic\u2019s hospitality station is no longer used to supply free water or coffee. It became a handwash station that each client is required to use before moving to an exam room. Outfitted with touchless soap, faucet, paper towel and hand-sanitizer devices, the features permit pre- and post-visit hand cleaning, which I think veterinary teams and clients will appreciate.<\/p>\n

Air Circulation<\/h3>\n

Pathogens are mostly spread by airborne droplets or by touching a contaminated object. We can address each of these through enhanced design features.<\/p>\n

We all share the same air, of course, so the best strategies involve either separating, removing or neutralizing pathogens. In the case of new or substantially renovated hospitals, these strategies can take the form of a heating\/cooling system that separates the building into zones so that air from one zone is not shared with the rest.<\/p>\n

I typically design three zones:<\/p>\n