5 Things Patients are Noticing About Your Medical Practice
As a medical professional, your top priority is providing excellent care for your patients. Unfortunately, the appearance of your medical practice may influence your patients’ impressions of you. Here are four things your patients may be noticing about your Portland area medical practice.
An Outdated Waiting Room
The waiting room is your client’s first view of your office space. Of course, you want it to be clean and organized, but the style should also be up to date and reflect the personality of your practice.
Updating the trim is an easy way to modernize a tired room. A skilled finish carpenter in the Portland area can complete this job in a day, avoiding any major disruption to your business operations.
You may also consider adding a sleek, custom built-in to the room to store your practice literature and magazines. It will invite patients to engage with the material and give added storage options to your waiting room.
Finish carpentry can also enhance your waiting room if you sell any products that need to be displayed. Instead of using a premade unit, have one built that perfectly fits the size and shape of your products.
Worn Out Flooring
Medical practice flooring may wear out quickly since it is usually cleaned every day. As a business owner, it may be hard to always pay attention to areas like this and notice when they need replacement. A patient who is in an exam or waiting room may notice these details though.
Many types of flooring are durable and easy to clean, making them compatible with medical practices. Some good options may be tile or luxury vinyl plank. Carpeting is not recommended in exam rooms but a low pile version may be suitable for waiting rooms and offices.
A commercial contractor can share samples or flooring types so you can see how it will look in your practice before making a decision. Many floor materials come with extended warranties as well.
Out-of-Style Exam Rooms
As a medical professional, you have to stay up to date with the latest medical advancements. Reflect your commitment to continuous development in your practice exam rooms.
You may have leased or purchased your space years ago and what was in style for cabinetry and countertops may no longer be in style.
Patients often spend a bit of time inside exam rooms. You want them to feel inviting and comfortable.
A commercial contractor can work with you to recommend cabinets that may suit your practice. Commercial cabinetry is different from residential cabinetry and will have more features that fit your practice’s needs.
Another area that can sometimes be noticed by patients is the lighting of the room. Harsh, bright lighting can create anxiety in patients while fixtures that mimic more natural light may help patients relax.
Replacing fluorescent lighting with LED options can save you energy costs and give you a range of color temperatures to choose from to complement your practice.
Forgotten Bathrooms
The office bathrooms might be the last thing on the list when considering which renovations to prioritize. As a business owner, you might think that this is the space where patients will spend the least amount of time if they visit the bathroom at all.
But having a bathroom that is out of date compared to the rest of the office sticks out like a sore thumb. If it is in your budget, upgrade your bathroom to match the rest of your practice.
Janitorial-related installations like touchless soap dispensers and automatic sinks and toilets can help you cut down on maintenance and save on water bills. They also add convenience for your staff and patients.
General Disrepair
If your practice has been operational for quite some time, you may not notice when the physical structure of your facility falls into disrepair. For example:
Do you have cabinets that don’t close correctly?
Are your towel or toilet paper dispensers getting loose?
Could your check-in area use some upgrades for more efficiency?
It might help to come into the building on a weekend and take a look around with a fresh pair of eyes. What do you notice when you’re not busy with patients? Those are all issues that your patients could be seeing, and addressing them is critical.
Final Thoughts
Providing patients with a pleasant environment when they come to your medical office can increase patient satisfaction and help create a favorable view of your practice.
Having worn-out flooring, old exam room cabinetry, bathrooms that don’t fit the rest of your office, or an outdated waiting room are all things people take note of.
Commercial contractors and finish carpenters can remedy these eyesores. Your Portland area medical practice can go from ordinary to exceptional. At Change Commercial Services, that’s what we do.
We’d love to talk with you about how we can help your medical practice look and function its best. Whether you’re in need of our janitorial installation, finish carpentry, or other services, we’re here to help if you’re located in Central Oregon. Contact us today and let’s discuss your needs.