How important is medical consult room design for your practice? The consulting room in your clinic is the place where the patient relationship starts. As a doctor, this is also where you’ll spend most of your time. For patients, it should be a place where they can feel welcome and comfortable.
If you are opening a new practice or refurbishing your existing medical clinic, take the time to get the consulting room design right. In this blog, we look at consult room design elements that can make a difference.
Design Style
The cohesive flow should be the first thing you notice when you walk through the front door. Throughout the entire practice the design style should be consistent as you move through the rooms from the reception areas and on through the clinic. This type of way-finding ensures the visit is pleasant and less stressful.
Setup
The way you arrange the space in your consulting rooms – including the placement of furniture – can impact patient experience. Indicators of positive patient experience, including eye contact, interactions between patients and doctors, and feelings of empowerment, can all be impacted by your room’s setup.
Space
Your consult room should have enough space to easily fit yourself, a nurse or assistant and your patient. Rooms should be designed to accommodate the required equipment but be big enough for unobstructed movement. Allowance should also be made for wheelchair accessibility.
Maximise Patient Privacy
Consider arranging consulting rooms around the perimeter of the clinic. This type of arrangement allows the rooms in the centre to flow through to one another. Where practical for efficiency, your consult rooms should be near the waiting area and a short distance from the treatment rooms.
Features
Pain and anxiety can negatively affect patient experience. However, by using some simple design features in your consulting room, you can help to make your patients’ experience a more positive one.
Ensure the space is open and inviting with a room layout that features calming colours and subdued or natural lighting. Make sure the room is free from excessive noise and maintains a comfortable temperature.
Positive Distractions
A piece of artwork, greenery or personal photos can be a nice distraction to improve patient experience. For children, toys and figurines can create a welcoming environment when visiting the doctor.
Inspiration
Elite Fitout has helped numerous doctors with medical practice design, fit outs and refurbishments – so we know a thing or two about getting your consulting rooms right.
Take a look at our medical practice project gallery for inspiration for your consulting room. Or, if you’d like to learn more, contact Elite today on 1300 765 344.
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