Courtesy Cornerstone Veterinary
By Susan Elise Campbell
Organic growth of their flagship practice in Clifton Park has prompted Doctors Alan and Lisa Knott to open a second location of Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital at 92 East Avenue, Suite 201 in the heart of Saratoga Springs.
The husband and wife team celebrated February 24th with a ribbon cutting attended by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the Capital Region Chamber.
The couple established their practice in 2015 after relocating from northeast Ohio with their two young children, Dr. Alan said. Dr. Lisa is from Burnt Hills and he said the family has been “five minutes away from the grandparents” ever since.
Dr. Dayna Jodzio, a native Saratogian, was hired six months ago to get acquainted with the practice before settling in full-time as chief veterinarian at the new location. She diagnoses and oversees all of the cases there. The Knotts will divide their time between Clifton Park and Saratoga, Dr. Knott said.
“Saratoga County has been perfect for us,” he said. “Pet parents in this area are always looking for the best medicine, and that’s what we are looking to provide.”
The Knotts came from a large practice with six locations and he said when they relocated and set up in Clifton Park, they intended to remain family owned and locally operated. Their business plan did not necessarily include multiple locations.
“It was always on our radar as a possibility,” he said. “We wanted to make sure the opportunity was there, and also that the need was there.”
“For us, it always comes down to people, that we have the team members who we can build upon and grow with,” he said.
One facet of their new location, as with Clifton Park, is that Cornerstone is a veterinary hospital, not a clinic. The distinction is the additional resources hospitals have to diagnose and treat the animals.
“Both our locations are full-service veterinary hospitals with in-house laboratories and imaging equipment,” said Dr. Knott. “We do wellness, like a clinic, which includes vaccines and preventative medicine. But we also have full scale surgery services, dental services, and sick patient care.”
“This is the whole gamut of veterinary medicine,” he said. “We also have good working relationships with the specialty veterinary hospitals in the area to use as an adjunct, and they refer patients to us, as well.”
Cornerstone does not provide overnight emergency service, but offers urgent care and same-day appointments at both locations.
“We feel fortunate to be able to provide that level of service, as many hospitals are stretched thin with their manpower and their teams,” Dr. Knott said. “If patients need us, our goal is to get them in at one or the other location the same day.”
The staff at Cornerstone Veterinary Hospitals totals 50, including 10 veterinarians in Clifton Park and two in Saratoga. Dr. Alan is hospital director and CEO and Dr. Lisa is chief of surgery, doing the “more specialized and intricate surgeries,” he said. Both split time between the two locations.
Dr. Jodzio comes from a large veterinary hospital and has an additional certification beyond a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Dr. Knott said she is a Boarded Diplomat, meaning she extended her medical education an additional four years.
“Her certification is in internal medicine, and we are excited that she has such an extensive knowledge base,” he said. “She has a wealth of experience with small animals and did some equine work as well.”
There may be times when veterinarians at the Clifton Park practice send pets to her for specific diagnostics like ultrasound imaging or for treating advanced cases, he said.
There are two other ways that Cornerstone Veterinary Hospitals distinguish themselves. For one, both are a Fear Free Certified Practice, of which there is only one other in the Capital District. Each team member has undergone a nine-hour certification process and has continuing education requirements.
Dr. Knott said this designation demonstrates a commitment to minimizing stress for even the most anxious pets. Techniques include a comforting color pattern, calming pheromones, soothing music, positive reinforcement, and when appropriate, treats.
“We want patients to be calm because they do much better during diagnostics and also recover better after treatment,” he said.
Additionally, both hospitals are AAHA Accredited. Only about 15% of veterinary practices in North America achieve this designation from American Animal Hospital Association, which requires exceed 900 standards over and above what the state regulates, he said.
The new Saratoga location has 42,000 square feet of space, which is more than enough for eight exam rooms and ample surgical and dental space. There is no overnight boarding or grooming at either location, as there was formerly in Clifton Park.
Dr. Knott said that only half the veterinary practices in the Capital District are privately owned and that the Knotts are “proud to be bucking the trend” of consolidation in the industry and staying true to the values of “independence and community connection.”
“The benefit of our independence for clients is that we are not limited by corporation guidelines,” he said. “That means we have the flexibility to cater our approach to what the patient needs and what the client needs and wants.”
For example, the veterinarian operating under a corporate banner is limited to which particular medications can be prescribed or which tests and treatments can be performed.
In contrast, Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital “has the freedom to always offer what’s best for every patient and to make sure that’s what we do,” said Dr. Knott.
“We are excited to meet new pet parents and invite them to come in for a tour,” he said. “Our clients feel that family approach, which is just different from other practices.”
Visit cvhcp.com for more information.