Cincinnati Children's Hospital adds pet therapy building

Cats and dogs are able to visit their owners whose stays are longer than five days

By Healthcare Facilities Today


Cincinnati Children’s Hospital opened a specialized building to promote the facility’s pet therapy program — a first of its kind in the U.S, according to an article on the Healthcare Construction + Operations website.

Designed by GBBN Architects, the 250-square-foot, three-sided building creates a dedicated space for family pets to come visit their young owners while at the hospital. Currently, cats and dogs are able to visit children whose stays are longer than five days, the article said.

“This is extremely new to the hospital world,” said Aaron Anderson, LEED AP, senior associate at GBBN, in the article. “We wanted a simple shelter with a prefab system for quality control and cost."

One major challenge in bringing the pet therapy building to fruition was integrating the center into the medical campus without creating any safety or code issues, the article said.

Located in a former concrete courtyard, the building was designed with glass walls and a bright blue metal roof of aluminum composite to match the hospital’s architectural language. A large, brightly colored orange paw is stamped on one wall and the remaining walls feature patterns similar to tree branches to evoke a connection to the outdoors.

The hospital’s pet therapy program has gained attention from other health care facilities and the children’s hospital is developing a research program to demonstrate the benefits of the center, the article said.

“We want to help educate others. This really improves the lives of the patients and their families and helps relieve the suffering and separation of long-term hospitalization,” Anderson said. 

Read the article.

 

 



January 27, 2014


Topic Area: Architecture


Recent Posts

Biofilms: The New Frontier for Reducing MDRO

Biofilms in healthcare facilities act as reservoirs for microbial transmission to patients that can lead to infection.


St. Anthony Regional Hospital Falls Victim to Hacking

The hospital says there is presently no evidence any breached information has been used for identity theft or fraud.


Healthcare Facilities Alerted of 'Scattered Spider' Cyber Threat

The group uses a form of AI technology known as deep fakes, which are convincing yet false recreations that can trick people.


What Do Healthcare Employees Want from Their Organizations?

Safety, location and company culture are among employees’ top concerns.


CareTrust REIT to Acquire a Portfolio of 31 Skilled Nursing Facilities

The company expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.