All medical practices must be managed according to patient-oriented strategies. There needs to be an overall focus on healthcare, but it should not be extremely clinical or limited to the factors of cleanliness and safety. It should be more of a caring and healing approach. The emphasis must be on keeping patients healthy and happy from the moment they enter a healthcare facility. With this in mind, let’s review the considerations to make when designing a front-office lobby or waiting room.

Design With Patients and Family in Mind

This consideration can be obtained from the section of the business plan that focuses on the target audience. In essence, you want to evaluate who your patients will be, who will be waiting on them, and the prominent values of the community served. For example, a geriatric clinic will mostly see patients aged 65 and older, but these patients are likely to be accompanied by children or caretakers in their 40s, so here we have two age cohorts to think about during the design process. No matter what type of medical office, it’s important to always remember that children will most likely always be present so it makes sense to have an area tailored to them.

Work With Experienced Design Professionals

Choosing the right design professional to create or remodel a waiting area is a vital part of the process. You want to work with a firm that specializes in this kind of project; moreover, you should give preference to those with a narrow or specific focus because they are more likely to deliver precise solutions. In the case of ophthalmology centers, for example, design firms that work in this niche go beyond color schemes, furniture, and decoration; they know about special displays, merchandising, traffic flow, impulse purchasing patterns among patients, lighting, branding, and more.

In the case of medical offices that cater to older patients, the front office and lobby design are even more important because of the higher level of competition in this segment. If you are surrounded by similar medical establishments, your design should go beyond aesthetics; it should be highly relevant and effective, practical, and present a value proposition.

Choose the Right Lighting and Decor

Whenever possible, natural lighting should be welcomed in a patient waiting room. Fluorescent and incandescent bulbs and lamps are no longer recommended in clinics; instead, modern LED lighting systems that allow you to adjust color and brightness are preferred. As for decoration, keeping it modern and abstract will work in many cases, but you also want to acknowledge the community; for example, a clinic located in a coastal region can be decorated with panoramic photos or paintings.

Keep a Clean and Safe Environment

Patients are usually concerned about cleanliness and safety; therefore, their expectations in this regard should be met by the organization or a design team hired for the project. Cleanliness and safety are always top priority in any healthcare practice; this is not a matter of style or the latest design trends. No matter the interior decor and style you settle for, the overall environment of the patient lobby you design should always be hygienic and safe.