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Choosing The Right Plant

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Indoor plants can be a great benefit to any medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Not only do they help to purify the air but there is just something nice about having living plants close by, especially for staff members who can be spending upwards of 8 hours in the same spot 5 days (or more!) a week.

So you will be pleased to know that there are many ranges of plants that do particularly well inside.

The following lists the top 5 desk plants which can also be used in planter boxes and on top of units and the 5 top floor plants which are obviously larger in scale so great for waiting rooms, hallways or consultation rooms. (Better still, these plants have been chosen specifically for Australia)

Desk Plants –

•Bromeliads, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They enjoy warmth and humidity but also require good air movement. Frequency of watering depends on the office climate and require extra attention in hot conditions.

•Peace Lily, with their glossy foliage and frequent blooms. They require humidity in order to keep their leaves from going brown and to keep them in top condition keep them away from direct sunlight as they prefer lower levels of light.

•Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, an almost architectural looking plant with its stiff upright leaves that can grow to 2m tall! It is able to withstand most conditions and therefore is a very popular indoor plant for those with little time. Treated right the mother-in-laws tongue can last for years.

•Walking Iris, these attractive, yet hardy plants have sword like leaves that can grow up to 60cm long. They flower delicate, fragrant orchid like flowers but require plenty of moisture to keep their stunning appearance.

 

•Mixed Garden, multi-grouped plants that are designed for desk tops and reception areas where the light is usually medium to high. A cork mat or tape is imperative in order to protect desktops from any water damage.

Floor Plants –

•Madagascar Dragon Tree, this attractive plant has green and pink leaves and a tall snake like trunk which can grow up to 3m tall. They are at their best in a well lit environment which maximises leaf colouring.

•Zanzibar Gem, these can grow in dry, shaded areas, can tolerate an amazing amount of neglect and are virtually impossible to kill making them ideal for the busy worker. They need less watering during winter and their leaves can be kept clean with a wipe of a clean cloth.

•Yucca, with their long woody stems and large scrappy leaves these plants add architectural flare to any space. They prefer high levels of light but can tolerate neglect rather well.

•Janet Craig, These tall plants have dark green, glossy leaves and a tolerance to lower light conditions. Ideal for popping in an office corner away from walkways where they could get damaged by passing traffic.

•Fiddle-leaf Fig, this hardy tropical looking plant has long stems and large glossy leaves and are proving to be one of the trendiest indoor plants to have. Depending on the amount of light they receive depends on how much water they require. Plenty of light is recommended for these plants as low light can cause the plant to stretch.

So which plant will you choose?

The Air Inside

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Surprisingly we breathe in more pollution indoors than we do outdoors. This is a serious issue considering the majority of people spend around 90 percent of their time inside.

 

Activities, products and materials are just a few of the items that can cause this indoor pollution and this is why good air quality is so important.

Particulates are particles that can come from items such as furnishings and building materials as well as dirt and dust that has been brought in from outside.

Something as simple as installing an entry mat in your doorway can help reduce the risk of allergy triggering particles being brought through your medical clinic.

Recessed Birrus matting is not only extremely functional, it is also a great alternative to a mat that has just been thrown into the doorway.

Birrus eliminates the risk of tripping and is also a very attractive form of entrance mat that will give your medical clinic that sophisticated, clean first impression you are after

Moisture is a common problem, especially in older tenancies, and moisture = mould, another major source of air pollution which can cause negative health effects through the possibility of VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions.

When looking at tenancies for your new clinic it is best to check areas such as ceilings and floors before you begin your fit out in order to prevent moisture problems early on.

Unfortunately mould spores are not easily eliminated and therefore the best way to prevent this issue in your medical clinic is to take the required steps in order to restore any moisture prone areas from the get go by speaking to one of our experienced team members who will be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to mould specialists.

One of the most common causes of poor indoor air quality are chemicals

Chemicals can come from numerous sources including building materials, cleaning products and even furnishings.

 

These are particularly nasty as they can emit thousands of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), the most harmful emissions that can cause a wide range of health effects.

When selecting furniture and other materials consider brands that come with a GreenGuard certification or incorporate cradle to cradle design in their technology.

 

While having a tightly sealed, insulated medical clinic can be good for keeping the outdoors…..well, outdoors it can be an issue when it comes to enabling fresh air into the building.

 

When planning your new fit out take a moment to plan for good ventilation, for example create an area for large machinery such as copiers away from staff and in a space that promotes good air circulation.

 

A room can be created for this purpose but also double as a store room with the addition of appropriate joinery.

As you can see it is imperative that we try to keep the air as clean as possible when working within a medical environment and by taking the above into consideration before your fit out begins you are already on the way to clean air and healthy patients.

Plant - Clinics By Design

Want a Greener Clinic?

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Making your clinic more environmentally friendly doesn’t have to be an arduous, time consuming task.  There are some easy ways that can help improve your workplace without spending a fortune!

  • Place some recycling stations throughout your admin and kitchen areas so staff can recycle all their unwanted paper & other recyclable materials.
  • When replacing or upgrading any of your white goods, make sure that you select items that have a high energy efficiency rating.
  • If you require any new furnishings, GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) certified products are recommended.  For more information, go to geca.org.au.
  • Install motion detector activated lighting in areas of your clinic that are only used sporadically e.g kitchen, amenities etc.
  • Replace your old halogen down lights with energy efficient LEDs & the old fluorescent troffers with T5 troffers, which will in the long term save you $$ on your electricity bills too!
  • Add a bit of greenery. Research shows that having a few live plants in the workplace can improve the air quality which is always an advantage especially within the healthcare sector
Clinic less Clinical - Clinics by Design

How to Make Your Clinic Less ‘Clinical’

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Clinic less Clinical - Clinics by Design

Although you want your medical, dental or veterinary clinic to look clinical enough in the way of cleanliness you might be surprised that you don’t have to cover every floor surface in coved vinyl and paint all the walls white.

 

Consider the below when designing your new clinic in order to make it look a little less ‘clinical’ and a lot more welcoming.

Waiting Waiting Waiting…….

Nobody likes to wait, especially when they are not feeling 100% or nervous at the thought of an appointment.

 

Choose bright colours for your waiting area by utilising floor finishes, paint, joinery and upholstery

Select comfortable seating, although some of the plusher chairs may seem out of range when it comes to price we can guarantee it is worth spending the extra on something that your patients are going to be comfortable in

Refreshment stations that provide filtered drinking water not only look good but give your patients the chance to have a drink if they need to.

 

If you would like to go one step further and provide tea and coffee facilities things like Zip taps can provide both boiling water (with safety locks in order to prevent a safety hazard) and chilled water in the one unit.

 

Children’s areas are great when there are going to be lengthy waiting times. Make sure you are able to partition this section off so it is still in view of parents but away from other patients that do not have children with them.

 

A TV can make a huge impact and takes patients minds off what they are actually waiting for, at least for a little while. These can also be utilised as a branding tool as you can set this up to show your own advertising.

Keep Staff Happy……

The people controlling your front of house are in many ways the most important people in your clinic.

 

They make sure all the appointments are in order and surgeries are set up properly but most importantly they are the first and last person your patients see which means having a welcoming smile when they walk through the door is very important.

So how can we help you keep that smile on their face?

It is not actually that hard to keep staff happy, and we all know that happy staff = a productive working environment.

 

Ask your staff what items would make their life easier on a daily basis in the way of joinery set up, storage options and even seating.

 

A lot of the time these small things are overlooked resulting in non ergonomic chairs which can cause back problems and lack of space which can decrease efficiency.

 

Away from the front desk create a comfortable break out area with sufficient amenities and, if space permits, lockers to provide a place for personal belongings.

Warm Up…….

One very important factor that can turn your clinic from an inviting space to a place your patients can’t wait to get out of is sufficient heating and cooling.

 

Make sure your air conditioning system is balanced and in proper working order.

There is nothing worse than walking into a building on a 35 degree day and feeling no change in the climate. Same goes for a 9 degree day when it seems impossible to warm up!

 

The recommended temperature in a commercial area is 23 degrees but you can also have this set on a thermostat in order to change with the climate. You may find if you have a lot of windows you will need it to be cooler in that area than a closed off room or waiting area.

Create Some Personality…….

One way to make your patients and staff feel comfortable when they come into your clinic is with a bit of personality.

 

By creating spaces that really cater to peoples needs as mentioned in the above items you are not only giving them an inviting environment for themselves but you are also building a reputation for yourself which in return will equal good word of mouth referrals which could create new clientele.

 

Whether they are coming into your clinic to work or for an appointment you would be surprised at how effective it can be for productivity and overall mood when the small details are taken into consideration.

 

As you can see its the little things that make all the difference and something as simple as a phone call to make your patients aware that their doctor or dentist is running behind in schedule or a confirmation message the day before a scheduled appointment can be very beneficial to your patients and your practice.

‘Transition’ Photography Series by Lauren Marsolier

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We love the way Lauren Marsolier has used multiple images in order to createan unknown landscape that feels somewhat familiar

 

 

 

‘Transition’ Photography Series by Lauren Marsolier.

Keeping Your Best Friend Happy

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We talk a lot about keeping patients happy but generally we are speaking about the 2 legged kind. As we also do a lot of work with veterinarians it is important for us to know what keeps animals happy in a medical environment also.

 

The best way to achieve this is through good design. Good veterinary practice design  will create an efficient and practical environment for staff and pet owners and therefore creating a calm and happy environment.

 

We all know how much animals feed off our moods so a relaxed environment equals relaxed pets.

Think about layout, do you want to have separate areas for dogs and cats?

Furniture, what upholsteries are the best for easy cleaning and hygiene?

 

Flooring, which flooring is best for spills!

 

Treatment space, the way the clinic is set out will determine how efficient your staff are which is extremely important, especially during times in which pets are separated from their owners….their humans……their mum and dad.

 

By putting the time and thought into an intelligent floor pan streamlining day to day procedures will become easy for everyone involved therefore resulting in a happy and efficient clinic.

What to do when Council Says No

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So you have found the perfect tenancy for your new medical, dental or veterinary clinic and you couldn’t be happier! You can already picture the way it is going to look and have started designing the layout in your head but then you are told by council that it’s not that easy……

 

So what restrictions might come into play and how do you resolve these issues?

Firstly, council will send you a list of items that need to be addressed in order to issue a building permit.

 

These items can include (but are certainly not limited to):

– DDA (Disabilty Discrimination Act) Compliance

– Parking availability and Zoning

– Access issues

 

From here you need to carefully consider these issues and how they can be resolved which is when a design and construct company such as Clinics by Design can come in very handy.

 

We hold strong relationships with building surveyors who can help you overcome these issues by redesigning the tenancy to comply with councils regulations or even help you look for a new (and even more perfect) premises if it is going to be too hard to get what you want under such restrictions.

Medical Parking

Medical Fitouts / By

As a complete design and construct solution for medical and dental clinics we constantly get asked about car parking and the legal requirements that go along with it.

As per the current Victorian Planning Provisions, you will need to provide:

  • 5 parking spaces for the first person providing health services, plus
  • 3 additional parking spaces for every other person providing health services

Under the Building Code of Australia (BCA), some of the required number of car parking spaces must be allocated as disabled parking, which must be in accordance with Australian Standard AS 2890.6-2009 (Disabled) and the BCA.

 

You must always speak to your local council first to see if they have any further requirements as it can vary from council to council and also keep in mind that you may require assistance from a Town Planner if an application for a car parking reduction is required.

 

Clinics by Design are experienced in the Town Planning process and can take care of your town planning application, plans and reports.