Once Dr. Pullen was settled into the new building, even though he was fully aware of each expense the project had incurred,
he still had a bit of sticker shock when the bills started coming in. "When you don't have a mortgage payment for years and
then all of a sudden you have a $37,000 payment every month and $2 million of your own money in a new building, it's a sacrifice,"
he says. But he says it's worth it and has paid off—his practice has seen a 65 percent increase in gross revenue the first
year since the move. 
Treatment area: This is the nerve center for medical and surgical procedures. There are four treatment tables—three are used
for minor surgeries, wound or skin preparation, and dental procedures. The fourth is designed for anesthesia induction. From
this central area, patients can be taken to surrounding areas for radiography, surgery, ICU, endoscopy, or ultrasound. The
treatment area also includes a workstation with three computers so that the doctors can maintain complete medical records.
The large whiteboard coordinates all the ongoing treatments for every patient in the hospital. Photo by Al Payne, A.F.
Payne Photographic Inc.
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Animal Medical & Surgical Center is a facility that Dr. Pullen is proud to practice in. Now when new clients visit, the surroundings
match his expectations of himself and what he tries to achieve. "I put myself out there as having a tradition of excellence,"
he says, "and now my building reflects that."
A closer lookBring the outside in Dr. Charles Pullen wanted to bring the beauty of Arizona into his new facility. To maximize this effect, the architect incorporated
a lot of glass into the design, as well as natural stone and tile and water elements.
Photo by Jessica Castillon.
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Stairwell: The architect made this area a feature of the building by designing multiple clusters of nine windows. This creates a dramatic
view from the outside at night and gives the appearance that the stairs are floating in mid-air. During the day, the windows
provide an aesthetically pleasing "room of light," rather than a drab, standard stairwell. The nearby McDowell Mountains are
also visible through the windows.
Photo by Jessica Castillon.
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Water element: The hospital's entry has a water feature with a trellis and an arched canopy. Plants and trees that attract hummingbirds
were chosen. The landscaping and the water feature give visitors the feeling that they are entering a garden—and these elements
are also visible from the inside of the building through the glass entryway.
Your chance to win Is your facility the 2009 Hospital of the Year? Did you build the hospital of your dreams—or are you about to? Enter it in our next Hospital Design Competition. We encourage
hospitals of all sizes and practice types to compete. The 2009 entry form will be available soon. Are you still in the planning stages? Mark your calendars for the 2008 Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Conference Aug. 20 to 22 in Kansas City, Mo. At the conference you'll get expert advice from veterinary architects
and financial advisors on developing an effective floor plan, procuring financing, and more. Call (800) 255-6864, ext. 4233,
for detailed information.
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