Guiding a veterinary hospital toward sustainable expansion

The client 
Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine was founded in 1975 by several local general veterinary practitioners in the greater New Haven, Connecticut region. Since its inception, the goals of the practitioners have been to improve their individual abilities to practice veterinary medicine through the centralization of resources such as staff, equipment, facilities, vision, and ideas. 

The challenge 
A decade before breaking ground on its new facility, the veterinary hospital began to discuss expansion. The goal was not only to expand its facility but also to provide medical services in a more comfortable environment, with additional parking, a large reception area, and an enclosed walking area for hospitalized dogs. The new setting needed to be more conducive to healing and patient satisfaction. The hospital’s goals were clear, but they needed expert guidance to help them expand in a sustainable manner. 

The solution 
BerryDunn, formerly Burzenski & Company, played a key role in the hospital’s expansion discussions. This is no surprise considering the firm’s years of experience steering the hospital’s operations toward strong financial outcomes and exploring opportunities for growth.   

For the expansion, our team of experts provided guidance with: 

• Analyzing financial data to support a strategic expansion 

• Navigating operational decisions, such as whether to lease or purchase a new facility, and choosing the right location 

• Consulting on which specialty services to add to the practice 

• Assessing long- and short-term needs and veterinary industry trends to pave the way to smooth financial operations 

BerryDunn’s insight proved invaluable to helping the hospital scale its practice for success both in the present and future.  

The outcome  
Today, Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine offers veterinary care 24 hours a day/365 days a year with round-the-clock monitoring of surgical and medical patients. In addition to emergency and ICU services, the hospital offers care in internal medicine, specialty surgery, radiology, dermatology, animal behavior, and ophthalmology. 

It is strategically located close to the highway in suburban North Haven, more than doubling in size from an 8,600-square-foot facility with 24 parking places to a 20,000-square-foot facility with 100 parking spaces. The new facility enabled the practice to grow from eight exam rooms to 12, and from four operating rooms to six. Moreover, the additional size allowed the hospital to add new services and staff. 

The hospital has achieved sustainable success thanks to calculated planning and guidance from BerryDunn, significantly expanding its services to the community. 

As a veterinary accounting and financial management consulting firm, our proactive approach to client service, ability to anticipate potential problems and tax burdens, use of cutting-edge technology, and focus on industry trends clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing the best quality services for our clients, without geographic limitation. 

For more information about BerryDunn’s veterinary accounting and financial management consulting services, visit berrydunn.com/industries/veterinary-practices.