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Doctor’s Office Design

April 11th 2012

When visiting the doctors have you ever felt that you feel worse when you enter the doctor's office or waiting room? There may be a reason for this may not be down to the fact that there are ill people around you. One of the reasons that you may feel worse when you sit in the waiting room or on a swivel chair or visitors chair in the doctor's office is the decor.

Doctors and dentists are notorious for their awful decor. Why then do they insist on painting their offices with the signature lilac/grey walls and the teal coloured upholstery on their chairs and other furniture? Also the configurations of the waiting rooms mean that all of the waiting room chairs or sofas tend to be lined up against the wall. Studies suggest that by having high quality office furniture or an interior design that is of a high specification, patients actually feel more in control and therefore as a consequence less ill. Having plants and other natural items in waiting rooms also has a positive effect and can even reduce stress levels.

So I guess that the question is if research is showing that having a better quality interior helps patients to feel better, then why aren't more doctors implementing these changes? There are guidelines put forward by the government for health and hygiene that doctors, private or not have to abide by, but these do not stretch as far as the style of furniture or colour of the office. When choosing your office furniture, the patients comfort should be one of your main priorities. It should also be sturdy and upholstered in fabrics that are preferably patterned as these tend to show minimal wear and you should also look into fabrics that repel stains.

The layout of your seating should also be taken into account as even though you want to fits as many seats as possible you should consider creating conversation areas that will help reduce the stress levels.

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