How To Make Your Office Worth The Wait
As the adage goes, “good things come to those who wait.” With this in mind, you can make the stage of waiting just a little more bearable for people who have come to visit your medical practice.
Waiting is a reality of daily life. People have to wait in line wherever they go--when they check out at grocery stores, visit the bank, or get medical treatment. Improving the area where your patients wait demonstrates care and respect for them. It means that you value their comfort and you appreciate that they have chosen your services over others.
If you want to create a better waiting room for your clinic or medical practice, you can use your five senses to guide your interior design. Here are five ways you can improve the waiting experience through sensory stimulation:
Regulate the temperature
Waiting in a freezing room can be incredibly uncomfortable for sick patients and young children. Ensure your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system can provide enough heat, especially during the winter months. The temperature can fluctuate multiple times during the day as patients file in and out, and the doors and windows are opened. You can install an automatic regulator that adjusts the thermostat based on the current room temperature.
Display engaging visuals
When it comes to waiting room design, the interior design is often the first consideration. More than creating a stylish room with coordinating furniture and wallpaper, you can provide points of interest. You can display individual pieces of artwork or ask a muralist to cover an entire wall. You can leave reading material like coffee table books, medical magazines, or provide tablets so customers can read electronic books.
Play relaxing and calming music
The rush of customers and staff passing through the waiting room can make any waiting patient anxious. Instill a relaxing and peaceful vibe in your reception area by piping in pleasant music throughout the day.
Provide refreshments
Even if they don’t intend to, some patients wait up to an hour or more before a doctor sees them. Hunger can only aggravate an impatient person. You can mitigate complaints of long waiting times by providing food and beverages. When you make snacks available, especially for free, you can reduce the chances of encountering irate customers. Eating also keeps them busy while waiting for their turn.
Use a scenting machine
Clinics and doctors’ offices tend to have a distinct smell of disinfectant. It isn’t unpleasant, and it lets you know that management cleans the area regularly. However, it can be a constant reminder that you are waiting for medical treatment. Supplying a soft, non-obnoxious scent made of natural oils can improve a patient’s mood and put them at ease. You can soothe your patient’s anxieties well before they step into your examination room.
Patients who come to a doctor’s office are already feeling unwell and uncomfortable, so why not try to ease their pain a little by giving them a pleasant place to wait? Most people don’t look forward to visiting their doctor, so making the experience a little more bearable can help you elevate the level of satisfaction your clients receive. If you can improve the experience and make the wait feel a bit less lengthy, you might make your customers happier and keep them coming back to your clinic.
Are you looking for an interior designer in Lexington? Our expertise lies in planning and creating enjoyable environments through thoughtful design. Visit our website to see our work and to find out how we can transform your space today!
