If you are in charge of designing a new medical or dental office, there are many things you need to consider. From building in safety designs for patients to creating safe and ergonomic designs for your workers, there are many things to think about.
Whether you are a new doctor or dentist opening your first practice or have been in business for years, it is critical to get the input of those who will be working in the office every day.
Getting the input of every member of your staff is one of the best ways to create a design that everyone will be able to live with.
A medical or dental office that is designed with the needs of its workers in mind will be a more productive place, and the employees who work there will be happier and more willing to go the extra mile.
Good Workers and Good Ideas
When it comes to designing a medical or dental office, winning ideas can come from anywhere. Soliciting ideas from your staff is one of the best ways to find creative solutions to common problems in the medical workplace. You may find, for instance, that the nurses on your staff are finding it difficult to locate the items they need in a timely manner.
Incorporating clearly marked drawers and shelving units into the design of your new office can alleviate this problem and make patient care faster and more efficient.
Designing shelves with compartments designed to hold syringes, needles, cotton swabs, disinfectants and other common items is one of the best ways to make sure the office is fully stocked and that your frontline workers have the resources they need to do their jobs.
It is also a good idea to ask those who will be working for you what they liked – and what they did not like – about the office designs at their former jobs.
You may find that the members of your staff can give you a wealth of information in this regard.
After all, the nurses, nursing assistants, and patient care coordinators are the ones on the front lines, and they are the people best able to give you advice about which elements should be included in the design of your new medical office or the redesign of your existing space.
Ergonomic Issues
It is also a good idea to find out about any ergonomic issues or past workplace injuries that could play a role in the design of your medical or dental office.
For instance, if your office manager has a history of carpal tunnel syndrome, you may want to incorporate an ergonomically designed computer, keyboard and workstation into the design of your new office.
This will not only make your critical employee more comfortable, but it will also protect you from potential liability issues.
Taking the needs of your staff members into account and soliciting their advice also fosters an environment of teamwork and cooperation.
Teamwork is an important element in any business, but it can be particularly critical in the medical and dental fields. Medical and dental offices tend to be small, with a handful of workers all pulling together to get the job done.
Without a strong element of cooperation, it can be difficult for the office to run efficiently, so ensuring a cooperative work environment is good for business and good for the bottom line.
