Reception and Check-In Clinic Design: Comfort and Safety

Reception and Check-In Clinic Design: When designing a reception or check-in room for your medical clinic, it’s important to keep in mind these important elements for your patient reception area: comfort and safety.  As soon as your patients walk into your surgical office, orthodontist clinic, or pain management center, you want them to have a positive impression of your services from the get-go. Listed are some of the most important, basic medical construction and clinic design features to consider when choosing a layout for your reception and check-in area.

Comfort

Never refer to your patient area as a “waiting room;” instead, invite patients to make themselves comfortable in your reception office while you prepare for their appointment and collect information. Lighting should be bright enough to read by and prevent falls, but no so bright that patients who suffer from headaches feel uncomfortable. Room temperature should be pleasant- not too warm, and not very cold. If your patients are senior citizens, then they may feel more at ease in a slightly warmer environment. Background music should reflect the average age and taste of the majority of your patients. Avoid pop music, rock, or rap. Seating should be firm, comfortable, and secure.  Choose furniture that is easy to get in and out of, especially if your patients are elderly or disabled. Arrange furniture to accommodate for your flow of patients, plus any friends or family members that may visit during recovery.  A good rule of thumb is 12 feet of floor space per person. Patient privacy equals comfort; space chairs evenly throughout the room, including single arm chairs in nooks and corners. If possible, set up a separate patient reception area for meetings. Prevent uncomfortable odors by providing good ventilation, spraying with disinfectant, and installing “No smoking” signs. Don’t rely too much on technology– many patients are uncomfortable with automatic check-ins, and prefer to speak to a live person. Make sure there is at least one medical staff person available in the reception and check-in areas.

Safety

Become familiar with OSHA regulations regarding patient reception areas. Your medical construction contractor should also be able to answer any questions you have in this regard. Housekeeping– All patient and medical staff areas should be kept clean- use disinfectants to clean walls, floors, and furniture. Schedule routine clean-room checks throughout the day, and straighten up reception area furniture when needed. Ensure proper disposal of infectious wastes such as blood and vomit. Furniture should be washable and fire-retardant.  To prevent falls, choose carpeting that contrasts with the color of your clinic’s reception furniture. Patients with special needs must be given adequate space in reception rooms to accommodate for wheelchairs and other mobility tools. Consider patients with hearing loss or vision impairments, as well. If you run a pediatric office, then incorporate child-sized seating and tables into your reception/check-in room. Allow a separate seating area for children who are ill and contagious.

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Next week, we’ll discuss “Reception and Check-In Clinic Design: Décor and Efficiency.” Questions?  Feel free to comment below. Image credit