If I were given the opportunity to set up and design a medical office, I would strive to create an environment that is suitable for average suburban families of any income level, providing comfort and convenience. I would first locate a multi office facility where most of our patients’ care could be done in one place. Ideally, there would be various specialties, a pharmacy, radiology and imaging, and lab services available. This would provide convenient accessibility for patients requiring dual care, specialties, or medication following their initial visit with us.
When you enter this office you will be peacefully enveloped into pale sage, light brown and neutral tones, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. You could hang your coat or dry your umbrella by the door (Wells, 2005). Beautiful canvases with scenic views from around the U.S. would provide an insight to the magnificence our country still holds, and silk trees creating small accents and a sense of harmony throughout the room (Harrison, 2010, p.4). There would be a severance of sorts within the waiting area. In the area closest to the door would be a reading nook, for those seeking quiet and privacy while they wait. They would have four oversized arm-chairs to relax in, magazines, newspapers, educational materials, and slightly lower lighting. The center of the room would be the main waiting area, with large, cloth, arm free chairs, non-restricting and giving individuals a sense of personal space. Ten of the chairs would be facing one another on either side of a large coffee table filled with magazines and newspapers. Another five chairs would serve as the “head” of the area facing the wall with a mounted television, a water station, and all of our educational materials organized for retrieval. On the other side of the room, furthest from the door, would be the children’s waiting area with an aquarium.