It is important for healthcare furniture to go above and beyond safety and cleanliness standards to keep everyone healthy.
Healthcare furniture is unique from all other types of commercial furniture. It not only must meet durability standards, but it also must include an element of cleanliness to a much higher standard than others. Of course, any doctor’s office wants their waiting room to look relatively stylish as well. A healthcare center must still choose this furniture wisely since sick patients will likely be sitting on these chairs or using the coffee tables. Here are four major players in determining if your furniture is up to the industry standard of keeping people clean and safe during their medical visit.
Accommodating and Safe Healthcare Furniture
Unsurprisingly, all furniture in your office or waiting room should be safe for patients to use. While each medical facility has a different assortment of clientele that varies from center to center, there are a few standard safety rules they should follow when choosing furniture. Patients seeking treatment come in all shapes and sizes, so any office should ensure that at least 15% of the available healthcare furniture is bariatric friendly. In general, most healthcare centers also have a large population of older patients, so geriatric-oriented furniture, like hip chairs, should be an option as well.
Hygienic and Easily Cleaned
All healthcare furniture must be able to be easily cleaned. Avoid selecting furniture that has cording or piping around the edges. This can create a “catch point” for bacteria and dirt to accumulate that can be easily missed when sanitizing. Instead, try a design that emulates a waterfall edge to minimize bacteria buildup. Also, make sure to choose a material that is appropriate for a sterile setting. Porous materials like wood and fabric are not appropriate for a medical environment. Instead, opt for healthcare furniture made of plastic, stainless steel, and waterproof vinyl.
Durability is Key
Some medical facilities see patients all day, every day. Therefore the furniture sees a lot of use. No one wants to deal with medical furniture breaking, potentially causing patients injury. Choose furniture that is meant to last and equally scratch-resistant.
Aesthetics are Also Important
Healthcare furniture should be simple, but it doesn’t have to be ugly. A patient will feel more comfortable when the room has a cohesive theme and nice decorative feeling. Try choosing furniture that is adorned with warm, pleasing colors like chestnut browns and light oranges.
Choose Edwards & Hill for Your Healthcare Furniture and Design Needs
Are you ready to redesign your office to maximize productivity and creative thinking? Edwards & Hill can help you design and install the perfect designs for your business. Edwards & Hill is a leading office, education, medical, and hospitality furniture provider with high-quality design and installation services for any style or scale. We have our headquarters in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, as well as another convenient office location in St. Louis, Missouri. If you are ready to get your office design started, contact us online or give us a call at 301-317-4250. For the St. Louis office, please call 314-797-5077. For more furniture design tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube.
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