Learn how to improve a healthcare waiting room design.
Designers in the healthcare industry have more opportunities now than ever to enhance waiting room décor with more details that will improve the patient experience. Although many people overlook the waiting room experience, others include in their overall appointment. Here are a few ways to improve the design.
Attention to Details
Designers have discovered that the design of the waiting room directly impacts a patient’s overall experience and attitude about being treated. Waiting rooms are being transformed from having rows and rows of identical chairs to including furniture that adds more life and energy into a space. The details now consider the overall atmosphere of the waiting room, to consider the way that color and furniture selections play a role in the way clients feel.
Comfort and Convenience
Healthcare designers are beginning to think more in terms of hospitality, including more elements that make the waiting room more convenient and comfortable. You will likely be seeing more residential-style furniture and charging stations for your electronic devices. Waiting rooms are becoming more reminiscent of a coffee shop with the style of furniture and layout, with a variety of seating options and tables.
Individual Patient Needs
Each patient will have their own, individual needs while they’re spending time in the waiting room. This means being more considerate of how people spend their time, and including spaces for people to use their laptops, tablets, or take personal phone calls. This also includes having more child-friendly options for patients that need to bring their children, like reading nooks and work tables.
Connectivity
As hand-held devices are becoming more essential parts of people’s everyday lives, it’s important that waiting room design takes that into consideration. Many people expect to be able to connect to open Wi-Fi networks for use on cell phones and tablets. Not just for millennials, but patients of all ages get a lot of use from being connected to Wi-Fi, as they play games while waiting, watch videos, or just generally search online.
Additional Amenities
It raises a patient’s experience when they walk into a waiting room and see additional, unexpected amenities, like coffee or other small snacks. Depending on the type of service that you provide, the amenity could be related to the section of the industry that the office is in. For example, having a bowl of floss at a dental office would make sense, or maybe even having a few recliners for older patients to enjoy.
Commercial Healthcare Furniture from Edwards & Hill Office Furniture
Are you ready for a commercial healthcare design full of “do’s” and without any “don’t’s”? Edwards & Hill can help you design and install the perfect commercial healthcare design for your facility. Edwards & Hill is a leading office, education, medical, and hospitality furniture provider with quality design and installation services for any style or scale. If you are ready to get your healthcare design started, contact us online or give us a call at 301-317-4250. For more furniture design tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flickr, YouTube, and Google+.