We are looking forward to once again attending the GPCE (General Practice Conference & Exhibition) in Sydney next month.
We find these conferences a fantastic way to make sure we are at the forefront of what is happening within the medical world.
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……
Firstly, council will send you a list of items that need to be addressed in order to issue a building permit.
– 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.
After a very relaxing break filled with family, food and festivities we are back and cannot wait to get stuck into 2019!
The start of this year is going to be jam packed and we can’t wait to show you what we have in store.
Be sure to keep up to date with us on our socials for news, projects and inspiration clinics.by.design
The team at Clinics by Design have had an exciting start to their journey in 2018 and cannot wait to show you what we have in store for the New Year!
We will be taking a little break over the festive season, closing on Friday 21st December and reopening on Monday 14th January.
For any enquiries over this time please do not hesitate to contact us via email: info@clinicsbydesign.com.au and we will get back to you as soon as we return.
We would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday, see you in 2019!
Here at Clinics By Design we are big Yellowtracers and will be sharing some of our favourite articles from time to time.
Although our primary focus is the medical industry it is also important to keep up to date with what is happening within the hospitality, retail and residential interiors world as inspiration can come from anywhere!
Check out the beautiful use of natural materials used throughout Noma Restaurant in Yellowtrace Copenhagen.
One main aspect of any medical, dental or veterinary practice which may not seem like a comfort as such but can actually put a lot of minds at ease is good signage.
By having sufficient signage in the way of logos and way finders (within larger practices), your patient is given clear instruction on where they are and what way they need to go.
Once your patient has made it to where they need to be you may not want to stop there. Items such as flooring, painted graphics, paint colours and even furniture can be utilised in a way that helps to distinguish different areas and rooms.
When designing a new clinic there are three main things that need to be taken into consideration:
When someone walks into your clinic for the first time you want them to love the look of it. Unfortunately 99% of people aren’t skipping through the door when it come to a visit to the GP or dentist so it is important that you try to take away the inevitable feeling of unease by giving them a beautiful environment in which to wait for their appointment.
Once they are in the door and happy with the look of their surroundings you want them to also enjoy the feel of the place. This good feeling ignites an instant sense of relaxation which is imperative within a medical environment.
Now, not only do your patients need to feel comfortable in your clinic but so do your staff which is where function plays a big role. By creating staff areas that are user friendly and functional you make their jobs easier which in turns makes them more efficient.
These three aspects are extremely easy to accommodate in any medical environment.
With the use of certain colours, amenities and good access your clinic will be a place that not only staff love coming to each morning but patients may not cringe at the thought of either!
When quoting on new or refurbished medical and dental practices the two main questions that come up are ‘what is electrical body protection?’ and ‘do we need it?’
Simply put, a body protected area means every power point is protected by a safety switch (imperative in any area where patients are being treated with equipment that is plugged in).
These particular safety switches are a lot more sensitive to earth leakage currants than those on a residential or office point therefore protecting you, your staff and your patients from any chance of an electrical shock while treatment is taking place.
Body protection is a requirement of the Standard AS/NZS 3003.2011 and therefore compulsory for any new medical or dental fitout.
Not only are new tenancies effected, if you have an older tenancy that is not body protected you can not have any new electrical works done without upgrading the entire tenancy. New electrical works can be something as simple as the addition of one new power point so be sure to ask whether body protection is included in any electrical quoting you receive to protect yourself from any unforeseen costs.
So this is probably a question you wouldn’t expect to be asked when selecting the type of vinyl you want upholstered on your clinics chairs. Usually we would just ask you which colour you prefer and leave the rest to us, but it is very important that you know the difference between vinyls and how they can change depending on the area they are going to end up in.
Proper cleaning (or lack of) is one of the biggest problems we have when it comes to the upkeep of seating. Every product comes with a cleaning guide from the manufacturer which outlines the type of products that can be used on it, proper cleaning regime and what you should keep away from the material. This is something we will always pass onto you, the client, at the end of every project in the hope it will be passed onto the correct person.
Unfortunately though 9 times out of 10 these documents go missing and a few months later problems start occurring.
Plasticisation Migration is the result of bleach or body oils sitting on vinyl for too long which causes it to go shiny and then crack. Something we have have all seen.
Of course with the correct care this is less likely to happen. By following manufacturers cleaning instructions you will get real longevity out of your furniture.
Placement is another issue when it comes to using PVC or Polyurethane.
PVC does well with waiting areas due to the thicker top layer and strong bond which means when upholstered the stitching will not break the seal letting moisture in. This product also does not respond well to steam cleaning so is better suited to an area that is high traffic but does not require strong cleaning.
Polyurethane on the other hand responds a lot better to steam and strong bleach which makes it perfect for clinical areas that need proper cleaning each time they are used.
By using the correct materials in the correct places you can keep your furniture looking better for longer.
