Episode Details

Following on from last week’s episode when architect, Lloyd Lewis, taught us how to upscale a hospital without a consultant, in this week’s The Veterinary Business Success Show, Brendan Howard interviews licensed architect and Animal Arts principal, Heather Lewis. 

As a senior leader of Animal Arts, an architectural company specializing in designing spaces for the care and shelter of animals, Heather has worked on creating a variety of veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, as well as equine and large animal projects. As a self-certified ‘lighting geek’ Heather is dedicated to advocating minimizing pets’ stress and anxiety during veterinary visits.

Heather is also a member of the Fear Free Advisory Board, an organization curated by Dr. Marty Becker with the mission ‘to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them’ and is the author of the Fear Free starts for veterinary hospital design. 

During this episode, Heather gives her architectural outlook on infection control and what she has learned over the past year as a result of the pandemic. If you want to learn how to make you practice a healthier environment through infection control, this episode is for you. 

Outline of this episode:

• [01:18] The episode begins with Brendan and Heather discussing Heather’s work with infection control. 
• [03:14] What’s the biggest aspect of infection control?
• [04:55] Is it easy to get manage infection control?
• [08:44] Do practices often clean air vents and what’s the impact of this?
• [10:40] Brendan asks Heather about measuring humidity levels and why this is important?
• [15:34] Ad break- Join Leaders
• [16:41] The episode resumes with Brendan asking Heather what she and her team have learned about infection control over the past year. 
• [18:50] Brendan asks how to create a nice indoor/outdoor space at your practice.
• [21:57] Heather discusses alternatives to indoor/outdoor spaces to ventilate your hospital. 
• [28:05] What we have learned about handwashing? 
• [29:55] The episode wraps up.

To listen to the extended version of this episode, sign up for our Leaders course, an educational course (aimed at practice leaders, managers, and owners) that shares everything required to build and run a successful veterinary team.

Resources Mentioned:

• Leaders

Connect with Heather:

• LinkedIn