Clinic By Design

Other

Fabric: Not As Simple As It Seems

When it comes to upholstery it is a completely different ballgame in the medical world.

 

As you may or may not know, medical grade, or high performance fabrics are different to the fabrics you can choose from when you are shopping for a new lounge suite.

 

Companies such as Crypton, Instyle and Woven Image (just to name a few) have expansive healthcare ranges which are perfect for any medical clinic.

what makes high performance, medical grade fabric different and why do we recommend it?

Basically high performance medical grade fabrics are treated to ensure they can be cleaned easily when any nasty spills occur (something that is not unheard of within a medical environment).

 

There are of course different levels of medical grade fabric with Crypton being the highest. To be considered Crypton grade the fabric needs to meet specific fibre and construction requirements. It is then treated with stain and odour protection and are recommended in high traffic areas that are prone to spills.

 

Other healthcare options may not have the same structure restraints but are treated with the same or similar protection and therefore perfect for smaller clinics and specialist rooms.

 

So when selecting seating for your clinic make sure you take the time to investigate fabric options in order to get the product that is right for you.

Urban Dentist in Berlin

We absolutely love seeing clinical spaces taken to the next level and turned into pieces of art!

Have a look at what Studio Karhard have whipped up in Berlin……

Article by Yellowtrace

 

The Urban Dentist in Berlin by Studio Karhard.

DENFAIR 2019

We can’t wait to get stuck into DENFAIR 2019 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre over the next two days.

 

These exhibitions help to keep us informed of up and coming trends across all types of design and we can’t wait to implement them into your projects!

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools your business will ever have and your clinics’s design plays a big part in what people say once they have left their appointment.

 

These days patients have so many options and flashy marketing jumping out at them, what should be a simple decision can turn into a daunting task and therefore are more likely to go with a recommendation from a family member or friend.

So how do you make sure your patients are keeping you in mind the next time someone is looking for a specialist in your field?

While good service is imperative in creating a lasting impression you also need to make sure you are supplying your patients with an inviting environment so they know they are in good hands from the moment they walk in the front door.

 

Create a comfortable, clean and inviting space by including items such as ergonomic visitor/ waiting chairs for the times when waits are longer than usual.

 

Refresh stations are also a great idea by providing filtered cold and temperate water to patients mounted within joinery to match your reception (much more inviting than the old school water cooler). This can also create a great area for marketing material on your products/ services while patients are having a drink.

 

Patients are more likely to feel at ease in a clean and maintained environment and as you can see it is very easy to make these changes in order to get tongues wagging!

Vision Vs Budget

One common factor we tend to come across in initial meetings with clients is that their vision and their budget do not quite match up.

 

Although designer furniture and marble may be the look you want to achieve unfortunately this look can come with quite a hefty price tag and other factors such as services and joinery can bring in unforeseen costs that then eat into your initial budget.

 

Now, this is not to say you can’t get the look you want at a fraction of the cost.

The three main factors that need to be taken into consideration are:

Compromise

Sometimes we want things that we just can’t justify and that’s when we have to compromise.

The thing you need to remember is that there is always another option and it is our job to find a replacement for you that you will love.

 

By compromising to use laminate timber look planks instead of real timber flooring or furniture that is not quite designer but still unique and modern we can create the look you are after at a fraction of the cost.

Expectation

An important thing to remember when visualising your new medical or dental clinic is what your staff and patient expectations are and how these expectations fit within your budget constraints.

 

While you might have fancy artwork and designer waiting room chairs (that are decorative other than functional) keep in mind your staff may be dreaming of more cupboard space and storage room and your patients may love the thought of walking into a large airy waiting room filled with natural light and the latest magazine or up to date medical information easily on hand.

 

Taking your staff and patients into consideration first will help to build your design around keeping everyone happy and knowing what you are trying to achieve early on will help to build a realistic budget.

 

If you are dealing with a lot of children concentrate your budget on creating a decent sized children area, or if the older generation are your clientele little things like making sure all of your waiting room chairs have arms and that there is a refreshment station available can make a huge difference.

Priority

Priorities are an important part of day to day life and something we have to juggle constantly in our personal lives, so why shouldn’t you take this into consideration when it comes to opening a new medical or dental clinic?

 

Think about what is important to you, your staff and your patients and how these things fit into your budget.

 

Here we combine compromise and expectation in order to see which areas need to be addressed straight away and which areas can wait until later.

 

Services can be expensive but if you do not have an A/C unit that is in good working order it is safe to say you may also not have any staff or patients coming in during the cold and hot months so of course this is something that needs to be prioritised, even if it means it takes the exact furniture you had in mind out of the budget…….for now!

 

These big ticket items are a good discussion point in your initial meetings to determine just what needs to be done on your selected site, or whether it would be a better idea to look for an alternative premises that might have working services included.

Customised Consultations


Consultation rooms come part and parcel with any new medical or dental fit out. These rooms give doctors and dentists a comfortable space to discuss treatment options with existing and new patients.

With this in mind we are always on the look out for functional ways to present these rooms and one of the main factors to be considered is making sure there are surfaces that can be written on or have images and reading material pinned to.

Two fantastic options to consider are

Dry Erase Wall – This is a type of clear whiteboard paint that can be applied to any wall, enabling you to write straight over it with whiteboard markers.

 

This product means you have complete control over how your walls look and how much space is used (or not used) at any one time. And once you have finished your presentation and cleaned your notes off you are left with a plain wall once again.

 

Another option we put forward to many clients especially in the medical industry is acoustic panelling.

 

Acoustic panelling comes in a range of thicknesses, colours and patterns in order to suit your look or branding and not only do you get the acoustic properties from the board which is important when it comes to sensitive conversations, but you also get a pin-able surface that can be used for presenting images or medical documentation when needed.

Seville House

We love the feeling of being outdoors when you are inside, an emotion that has been captured perfectly within this beautiful home in Seville

House in Seville, Spain by Harald Schönegger & Inmaculada González.

Choosing The Right Plant

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

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.

‘Transition’ Photography Series by Lauren Marsolier

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.