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Medical Fitouts

10 Elements to Help You Create the Perfect Medical Centre Design

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Good medical centre design incorporates a lot of different elements in order to suit each clinics needs but there are some that are more important than others when starting out for the first time.

1. Location

Getting your location right from the beginning of your journey is imperative. On the one hand you want certain things around you in order to help your business grow but on the other hand there are certain things you do not want around you.

Things such as ample available parking, public transport and shared amenities are things that can be a huge benefit to your clinic whereas competitors who already have a strong presence within the community will not benefit you at all (especially if you are starting from scratch and need to get your foot in door with new patients).

2. Get to Know You

The correct branding is an important part of your medical clinic design, and seeing as it is one of the first things that current and potential patients see you need to make sure you are sending the right message.

 

Through good branding you can illustrate the warm, comforting environment you offer inside your clinic and therefore draw patients in other than having them walk past without even noticing you, or worse, walking in the opposite direction.

3. A Warm Welcome

Make sure your entry, reception and waiting areas are warm and welcoming.

 

The waiting part of a patient’s appointment can sometimes be the most anxious and so it is important to try and make them feel as comfortable as possible from the moment they walk in the door.

 

Utilising ‘warm’ materials such as timber and soft furnishings can evoke a sense of comfort and additions like music and artwork can provide welcome distractions.

 

Other items you may want to consider, depending on the type of clinic you are running, is informative information on the services you provide. You may find that having some reading material on hand could help patients in understanding the procedure(s) they are about to undertake giving them some sort of comfort.

 

Phone/ laptop charging stations can also be a welcome comfort to some patients. Giving patients a place to charge their phone or do some work while they wait, although it may seem like a small luxury to you as a business owner, can make a big difference to their visit.

 

These little things are a simple way of bringing a lot of comfort into your medical clinic design and will not go unnoticed.

4. Help Them Find Their Way

When a patient or patient’s family member turns up to your clinic for the first time the last thing they want to do is have to worry about finding someone in order to ask directions.

 

By placing your reception desk as close to the entrance of your clinic as possible you are already giving new patients a direct go to point when they walk in.

 

As well as this you want to make sure any signage you have on display is clear and simple. Although it might seem like a good idea to have signs pointing in every direction this can actually cause more confusion.

 

Simple, clear signage is a great start to making any new patient feel at ease and comfortable from the moment they walk through your door.

5. Colours

Choosing the right colours within your medical clinic design can make a big impact. Shades of blue and green are highly recommended in a medical environment as they can create a sense of calm, whereas bold colours such as reds and oranges can sometimes create a sense of anxiety which is the opposite feeling you are trying to invoke.

 

Areas such as waiting rooms, consultation rooms and even staff areas can benefit in the addition of some extra colour in order to create some sense of relaxation in what can be a generally hectic atmosphere.

6. Furniture

Furniture selection within your clinic is more important than you may initially think.

The type of patients you have coming to your clinic can play a big role in the seating options you will need to consider not only for your waiting areas but consultation rooms also.

 

For example if your patients are more or less all injured in some way or the majority of patients you have coming in are elderly you might want to consider having arms on all of your waiting and visitor chairs in order to make it easier for them to stand up once they have been sitting for a while, or if you have a mix of patients coming in and out you will want to provide a mix of seating options.

7. Drop-Off and Parking

Parking can be stressful for some people, especially if it is the first time they are visiting a certain place so the more adequate parking available to patients the better.

 

Although we know it isn’t always possible to have a huge car park on site there are other ways to obtain additional parking in the way of location.

 

Being close by to public parking that patients can utilise is a huge benefit and will give patients the peace of mind that when they come to your clinic they will not be spending half an hour trying to find a car park, thus reducing anxiety in a time that can already be quite stressful.

 

Another option is to consider locations that are in close proximity to public transport. Again, this gives patients one less thing to worry about if they can catch a train or bus to your door.

8. Healthy Building

Medical environments are a place of healing and so it is only fair that the building itself should promote and to a point, be healthy itself.

 

Good strategies for a healthy building include clean and filtered air, the use of Red List-free materials, outdoor access where possible and live plants throughout waiting and reception areas.

 

If you want to go a step further, elements such as excess heat, rain and wind can also be captured, stored and used within your facility.

9. Personalisation

Giving your patients the opportunity to customise their visit even in the smallest way can make a huge impact on their experience with your clinic.

 

Depending on the type of services you have on offer you could provide a selection of music options that your patient can listen to while they are having a treatment done or go as far as having virtual skylights installed in your ceilings above treatment beds in which patients can choose the view they are looking up at while having a procedure.

10. Dignified Discharge

Allowing patients to leave your building in a dignified manner is imperative in making them feel comfortable.

 

If you are offering services in which patients might feel self-conscious about how they look once they have had a treatment done, to their face for example, it can really pay to have a back exit that can be utilised in order for patients to get from the treatment room to their car without having to walk through a crowded waiting room.

 

Not only will this benefit the patient that has just had the treatment done, it can also help with reducing anxiety in waiting patients.

 

As you can see, with the right team helping you through the process it is easy to incorporate the essential elements into your medical centre design.

Planning Makes Perfect

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Building your very own medical practice can be a very exciting time, but it also requires a lot of hard work which is why a detailed medical centre business plan is the essential first step in any new set up. 

 

Your medical clinic business plan should outline your short and long term strategy and needs to show a complete understanding of the environment you will be opening your practice in. This demonstrates your planning or organisational skills to key stakeholders and can make an impact on securing finance should you require it. 

 

In order to ensure you have everything covered it is advisable that you engage some specialists in the way of financial planners, legal advisors and accountants in order to make sure all your bases are covered and nothing has been missed. 

So what should be included in your medical clinic business plan?

Your Business Profile should include everything about your new clinic, the what, where and why if you will. The following information should be covered in your business plan: 

 

  • Your business vision, values and mission
  • Location 
  • Trading Hours
  • The services you offer and how they are delivered: in-house/ onsite/ other
  • Service fees and your billing model (bulk billed etc)
  • Accreditation

 

 

Your Business Structure should cover the following points: 

 

  • Demonstrate how the business is/will be legally set up and should indicate that you have ongoing legal expertise to ensure the stability of your practice
  • Ownership
  • Growth flexibility (partnership/unit trust etc.)
  • Exit and succession planning
  • Legal framework (unit holder agreement etc)

Your Marketing Strategy should outline everything from advertising to branding. It should cover how you are going to get patients through your door and what your plans are in order to keep people coming back and referring you to others.

 

Your Marketing Strategy should include the following:

 

  • Practice name
  • Practice brand
  • Logo
  • Target market (depending on your location and area demographic who are you trying to target)
  • Unique value proposition, how you will solve your patients needs
  • Website
  • Advertising and promotions
  • Launch plan
  • Post-launch plan
  • Marketing goals

The Competitive Analysis section of your medical clinic business plan is to demonstrate your understanding of the environment you will be opening your new medical clinic in. You should also highlight how your clinic is going to be different to the others and why patients will choose to come to you over any competitors in the area. 

 

  • Opportunity assessment
  • Demographic review
  • Supply vs demand
  • Direct competition list (include competitors location, prices and offered services)
  • Outline your competitive advantage

The Location section of your medical clinic business plan needs to outline either the location you have already secured or location that you would ideally like to secure in the future.

If you have already secured a location you may want to include any floor plans etc. in the appendices of your business plan.

You should also include the following (where possible):

 

  • Address
  • Location description
  • Buy/ Build/ Lease (what have you already done or what are your intentions)
  • Sub letting opportunities – are there any opportunities for allied services i.e. pathology, pharmacy etc.
  • Fit out and design plans including costs where possible
  • Parking including staff, patients and practitioners
  • Access / what types of public transport are close by, foot traffic, disabled,  ambulance
  • Area demographics
  • Area based future developments
  • Area competition

The purpose of the Financial Planning section of your medical clinic business plan is to show that your business is financially viable. It is wise to include comprehensive outlines and numbers for the following:

 

 

  • Budgets: setup and operating costs
  • Funding needed/ secured and sources
  • Profit and loss modelling
  • Tax planning

This section will outline your strategies in order to attract and retain staff members and practitioners and also list the key staff you already have on your team

Be sure to cover:

 

  • How you will attract new staff members and practitioners
  • Practitioner remuneration (wages vs contractor and billing %)
  • Your intended session roster and how this will be developed

This section outlines the suppliers you intend to form agreements with for your practice including details of the goods or services they will provide and basic pricing/ contract arrangements.

Some suppliers to consider:

 

  • I.T hardware and support
  • PMS vendor (practice management software)
  • Online booking system
  • Medical equipment
  • Medical consumables
  • Stationery and amenities
  • Legal
  • Accounting
  • Banking

When opening a new medical clinic you will need very comprehensive insurances. This section outlines the cover you have in place and provides piece of mind for financiers and stakeholders 

 

 

  • Public liability
  • Professional indemnity
  • Directors liability
  • Keyman
  • Workers compensation
  • General insurance

Your business summary is usually the last thing you would put together. It is a short overview of all the information in your business plan and should be no longer than one page.

 

Items to include in your business summary include:

 

  • Brief business overview
  • Business owner/s biography
  • Products and/or services offered
  • Competitive advantage
  • Operational performance
  • Financial position

This checklist is a good starting point for anyone wanting to open their own medical facility but we strongly suggest getting advice from specialists in each area during the process to ensure nothing is missed. 

How to Build an Aesthetically Pleasing Hospital

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Aesthetics are extremely important, especially within the hospital construction industry. 

 

Not only do you want to make your patients feel comfortable, it can also be a daunting environment for visitors and therefore is just as important to offer them a welcoming and inclusive setting which reassures them their family member or friend (two or four legged) are in good hands during their appointment and/or stay.

 

There are many ways to create feelings of comfort and security through aesthetics.

Make it Clear:

Taking the time to make sure good signage is included in your new hospital construction can make a big difference. 

 

There is nothing worse than walking into a large building and having to ask five different people where you need to go due to the signage being inadequate. 

 

In a place that is often associated with stress and anxiety we want to make everyone feel welcomed and looked after from the moment they walk in the front door and something as simple as knowing exactly where reception is or having a coloured strip on the floor to follow in order to get to a certain wing can make all the difference. 

Personalised Amenities:

If your hospital caters for different types of patients, for example you are seeing patients with severe medical conditions but also offer cosmetic services to others, you may want to separate these areas.

 

Seperate waiting areas with partitioning and different seating is the easiest way to segregate one group from the other but other items you may not think about straight away such as toilets can add that additional touch of personalisation.

 

By providing a powder room type feel for cosmetic patients you are giving them a day spa feel whereas patients with more severe medical conditions will appreciate a clean sterile looking environment.

Colours:

We talk a lot about colours and how they can affect moods within medical environments. When picking colours for your new hospital it is advisable that you steer clear of dark colours which may make your waiting or consulting rooms appear smaller and potentially set off feelings of anxiousness or claustrophobia in some patients.

 

By painting walls and ceilings in light colours, coupled with natural light can make spaces appear bigger which in turn creates a feeling of calm.

Added Extras:

Little added extras can make a bit difference in your waiting rooms so it is definitely something to take into consideration when you are thinking about a new hospital construction.

 

By providing areas in which visitors who are waiting for patients or patients who are waiting for their doctor can sit and plug in their phone or laptop in gives them the chance to work while they wait.

 

Within these areas you may also like to provide QR codes that can be scanned in order to provide patients and visitors with information on the services your hospital provides. Sometimes all services that are available are not obvious to everyone so not only are you providing additional information to patients, you are also promoting yourself.

 

Other distractions such as televisions, music and seperate children areas can make any waiting area a more comfortable space for everyone.

 

As you can see it pays to put the time and effort into aesthetics. Not only will it make your hospital look great but can also have hidden affects on people as they come and go throughout the day.

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Medical Office - Clinics By Design

Your Medical Centre Fitout Specialists

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Medical Office - Clinics By Design

At Clinics by Design we pride ourselves on being medical Fitout specialists.

With a knowledgable team of builders, designers and sub contractors behind us we have not only the confidence but also the experience to bring your vision to life and look forward to being your concept to completion medical Fitout solution.

So what is it you would like to do?

Refurbish an existing area in your clinic?

Take on a complete de-fit and re-fit or are you looking for a piece of land to build on?

No matter what your project entails the best thing to do before you start making any set in stone plans is to talk to us.

With a strong background in medical fit outs whether you have, or are looking to build, a general practice, dental, veterinary or specialist clinic we can help in a variety of ways in order to make your project run as smoothly as possible from beginning to completion.

Tenancy Finder is one of the services we offer in which we will help you find the perfect site if you are looking to move into something brand new.

Although we do charge a small fee for this service we can not emphasise enough just how important it is to have someone with prior building knowledge take a look at any tenancy before signing any paperwork.

Things that may not be obvious to you or seem like a big deal could cause major problems in the long term. Our specialists know what to look for when it comes to services (one of your biggest costs) and will be sure to check out all the major areas from existing mechanical (air conditioning) to electrical and everything in between to ensure everything is in working order and nothing needs to be replaced to meet regulations.

If it is an existing clinic you are looking to upgrade the same checks still apply. To what degree is totally dependant on the age of the building. Things such as body protection have not always been a requirement and therefore if you are working in an older building the electrical services may need to be upgraded as part of your new medical Fitout.

If you have made the decision to build a brand new clinic from the ground up we can also be of service when looking for the right piece of land. There are certain things such as zoning and council regulations that we are very familiar with and can help you navigate what can be quite a confusing and in depth process.

Although running things yourself may seem like a cost effective thing to do you can not put a price on the knowledge a well established medical Fitout company can bring to your project.

Contact us today to discuss your upcoming works and discover for yourself why we are the medical Fitout specialists.

Time to Plan Your Medical Centre

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One of the most important things when it comes to your new Medical Centre is getting the plan right from the very beginning. 

 

Although you may have a strong vision of what you want your clinic to look like there will always be important factors that you may not have taken into consideration in order to create a safe and functional working environment. 

 

From forward planning in order to create a clinic that can accommodate future growth to the location of certain rooms, the little things are what will set your clinic apart from the others. 

 

When deciding on your final medical centre plan, setting up not only for now but for the future is key.

 

Although you may not need that additional consultation room or space for extra receptionists on opening day it is important to look to the future and have a think about where you see your medical centre in 5, 10 or 15 years time. 

 

Do you envisage inviting additional specialists to practice from your clinic? Will these specialists require their own administration and if so where will they sit and store their files etc. 

 

Creating your medical centre plan with the future in mind is a smart way to safeguard yourself against the risk of having to do more substantial (and costly) building works in the near future should your business grow. As well as this the additional areas that are not being utilised can also serve the purpose of staff quiet rooms or extra storage in the short term. 

 

The physical floor plan of your clinic is equally important. The location of certain things in order to make your staff members jobs easier will in turn make them more efficient.

 

Something as simple as designing a reception desk with enough space to accommodate a printer instead of locating it in another room can make all the difference to a busy day. 

 

It is impossible to know exactly what is needed in a job that you do not do yourself which is why it is so important you get input on layout of certain areas from your administration and nursing staff before setting anything in stone. Something that you might think will work seamlessly could in fact be a disadvantage to someone else. 

 

Another important area of any medical centre is the location of amenities. 

Locating public bathrooms at the front of your medical centre makes them easily accessible to waiting patients and gives reception staff a clear view of who is coming and going. 

 

If you were to place these down at the other end of your clinic, although this might seem like the best option as they are out of the way, you have all of a sudden lost site of patients who are now wandering around the corridors and could potentially gain access to consult and/or treatment rooms that either haven’t been locked or are occupied with other patients at the time creating a security concern. 

 

Staff toilets (if you have the space to include them) on the other hand are of more benefit at the back of the medical centre. This gives staff members some privacy and can be located close to the staff room where they do not need to walk past patients in order to gain access.

 

These are only a couple of things that need to be taken into consideration when deciding on your final medical centre plan but as you can see, even the smallest of things can make the biggest difference. 

What to Know in Medical Clinic Construction

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There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when heading into the world of medical clinic construction, but understanding the processes that you will need to go through in order to get off the ground is of the upmost importance. 

 

Before you can even start thinking about design and how you want your clinic to look and function you need to make sure the land you are looking to obtain is within the correct zoning for medical.

 

Once this has been confirmed and you have secured the land the next step is to be prepared for a bit of a wait while everything goes through council. 

 

There will be a period of time in which local residents can voice their opinion about your new medical clinic construction which can be a whole process in itself.

 

Be prepared for residents to give good feedback as well as bad and understand that this is something everyone has to go through. There may be certain things that have to be compromised in order to keep the neighbours (or council) happy and again this is a completely normal part of the process. 

 

In order to get everything through council, ticked off and approved can take a number of months to finalise so it is also important to be patient and do your best to grasp a basic understanding of everything your builder is doing in order to get the ball rolling. Although things may seem like they are standing still from your end we can assure you the work going on behind the scenes in order to get your medical clinic construction off the ground is huge. 

 

It is not uncommon for clients to think their clinic will be ready to open within 3 months or so of engaging a builder but this just is not the case. We like to be completely transparent when it comes to timelines in order to avoid any disappointment. We know how exciting it is to open a new practice and believe me we are just as eager to start your new medical clinic construction as you are. 

 

So what can we do in order to make sure the process runs as smoothly as possible? 

  • Make sure the builder you appoint is experienced with medical construction as this is very different to building a commercial office or residential property. In order to keep things moving forward with council a complete understanding of a medical clinic construction is key. 
  • Hold regular meetings in order to finalise plans and discuss any alternative options should something in the design not work. There is nothing wrong with having a plan B in place and being prepared is one of the best things you can do when going through this process. 
  • Keep an open mind. This is very important. As we spoke about earlier factors such as neighbours and council guidelines can have an impact on design constraints so it is a good idea to become as familiar as possible with things that may or may not work depending on any objections.  

By working closely with your builder, and becoming somewhat familiar with the guidelines that need to be adhered to, you are giving yourself the best chance at getting your plans approved and the ball rolling on your new medical clinic construction as soon as possible.  

Some Tips in Colour Choice

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The right colour choice is critical when it comes to a medical setting. 

 

As we know colour can impact on mood and therefore getting the balance right from the beginning is very important.

 

Something such as making a small space seem large is easy when you use light colours. 

 

The use of light colours gives a small room a sense of space whereas using dark colours in a small area will make the room seem a lot more enclosed and this is not the feeling you want to give patients whether they are waiting to be seen in a reception area or treatment room.  

 

The most important thing for your staff and patients is to feel comfortable and secure and colour can do just that when applied in the correct way.

 

One of the first things clients of ours want to see during the initial design process are hard surfaces such as flooring and joinery. 

 

These surfaces are a base for what will become a  great colour palette that truly reflects the business.

Consider using colours that capture your business’ personality.

This can be achieved easily with feature carpet tiles and joinery panels that match your corporate colours.

 

Shapes can also play a big part in showcasing who you are. Use your logo as a starting point and create shapes on the floor and places like walls and reception counters by utilising laminate to reflect this.

 

When picking colours for a certain space the first thing that needs to be addressed is what is the room going to be used for?

 

For example, if you are creating a space for children be sure to use bright and bold colours in order to create a fun atmosphere. Coupled with funky furniture and features such as black board walls this will ensure kids are kept occupied while parents (and other patients) are waiting.

 

If you need to create a soothing atmosphere it is said that shades of green and blue can have a calming effect on patients which is very important when it comes to a medical environment.

 

Bold colours are not something to be scared of and they are not necessarily for kids only!

When creating your new space pops of colour can really lift the mood without being too overbearing.

 

Consider features that are only seen at certain times, such as using patterns on privacy curtains and even brightly painted feature walls.

 

Vinyl wraps are also being more and more popular these days so think about images that may work well on walls or doors in order to create a fun and uplifting space.

 

We realise that design it isn’t everyones forte so that’s why we like to make time in order to go through exactly what is required in order to make your new clinic a modern and welcoming space that patients will want to visit time and time again.

 

We love creating unique spaces that reflect your business and our experienced team can take the stress out of wondering what will really make your clinic stand out from the others.

 

From the moment we are appointed as your design and construct company we start getting together samples in order to create colour boards that we think will suit your style.

 

Whether it be young and funky or classic and elegant there is a product to suit every mood and we will be sure to find it for you!

Medical Parking

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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.

Addressing Expectations

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When you run a business you are well aware that there is a level of expectation that comes along with it.

 

You expect a certain standard from your staff.

 

Your staff expect a certain standard from you.

 

Your patients expect a certain standard from everyone they meet when they walk through the door.

 

Expectations are very important and and can be used to achieve higher than average results which in turn create a successful business.

 

So what are the main expectations and how can you arm yourself in order to exceed them?

Expectation #1 – Construction Expectations

Being your own project manager can be a tough gig especially when you have your own business to run at the same time which is why is it worthwhile appointing a design and construct company to help with the coordination of your works.

 

What this does is free you up from having to research and organise multiple sub contractors which can be a very time consuming exercise.

Expectation #2 – Patient Expectations

One of the most important things for patients waiting in a clinic is to feel comfortable. Whether they are there for a quick in and out visit or something a bit more serious comfort is key.

 

Ensure your seating is comfortable and accessible for all types of people, create a children’s area to keep the kids occupied while they wait and provide refresh stations with filtered water.

 

Something as simple as providing a current magazine (and not a ripped issue of New Idea from 1984) can make the world of difference.

Expectation #3 – Staff Expectations

Your staff, as you know, are your greatest assets and when looked after they will produce great outcomes for you and your practice.

 

The best way to boost morale is to provide a positive working environment. Private breakout areas, new software to make things more efficient, secure lockers and even a staff toilet away from the public shows you care about them and want them to be as comfortable as possible when they walk in the door every day.

 

By addressing expectations early you are taking the steps to improve productivity and mood which is imperative to creating successful business.