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Invest in your patients by remodeling with the latest post-Covid-19 lobby and waiting room designs
As COVID-19 moves its way out of occupying people’s everyday lives with promising vaccines, the healthcare industry will return and patients will begin to filter back into clinics and hospitals.
When individuals arrive at their healthcare destination, they spend a great deal of time in transition spaces such as isolation rooms or waiting rooms waiting for their appointment and you want those to be a safe and positive patient experience.
By redesigning these transitional spaces, patients and staff can have less stress and an overall good experience. In this article, we provide the most optimal designs for waiting rooms and other transitional spaces.
Using ProBuild Construction as your healthcare remodel and tenant improvement experts, ensures a timely experience, superior craftsmanship, and the highest of professionalism.
Why is a positive patient experience important?
Creating a positive patient experience drives return clients, better health outcomes, positive reviews, and increases ROI.
Competition is fierce in the healthcare industry and creating an optimal patient-centric experience will solidify your business as a contender by showing your customers they are valued.
What effect does the lobby and waiting room have on the patient experience?
Like a restaurant or hair salon, the customer experience begins as soon as they walk through the doors and check-in.
In a healthcare setting, the appointment prior may take longer than expected and the following patient’s appointment becomes delayed.
Take this time to create a positive patient experience in this transitional space to combat the negative feelings about having to wait while allowing them to see the quality of service they will receive.
The waiting room area is a significant opportunity in improving the healthcare experience.
By providing productive, adaptable, and safe waiting environments, you get results of more relaxed and responsive patients.
How has lobby and waiting room area environments changed since the COVID-19 pandemic?
Key changes made to clinical settings due to virus mitigation efforts include:
- Careful attention to wayfinding
- Controlled air circulation
- Reduced touchpoints
- Occupancy capacity restrictions
- Easy-to-clean surfaces & materials
- Technology integration/self-service kiosks
- Adaptable & configurable furnishings encouraging physical distancing/discouraging gatherings
- Reduction & reconfigured size to grand lobbies
Focus has mostly been placed upon reducing the number of people within the confined waiting area spaces while providing a safe, and clean environment and controlling dominant contact areas.
What are the top trending, post-pandemic lobby, and waiting room designs?
By remodeling the lobby and waiting area, you can transition from limited stressful space and negative patient experience, into a safe and sustainable healthcare facility with glowing reviews, return patients, and positive patient experiences.
Trust ProBuild Construction to carefully design and construct your healthcare facility’s updated lobby and waiting areas. Contact them today for your no-obligation free consultation.
Spatial Design Trends
When it comes to patients, their space is not a one-size-fits-all. Some patients:
- Have children accompanying them
- Bring a significant other or adult advocate
- Are by themselves and prefer less interaction
A family-friendly space, or Residential Design, provides families a safe and comfortable space for them to wait for their appointments together. Important benefits to this design include:
- Child-friendly
- Residential seating
- At-home amenities
Residential Design provides patients and their families a space where they have the choice of watching television comfortably with child-sized tables nearby, or the ability to converse or use personal devices.
Patients who bring a significant other or an adult advocate need a comfortable space where they can converse, watch tv, or charge their devices while using them.
Accommodations should also be made for those who wish to be isolated away from the noise to focus their attention on their health history, the reason for their visit, or wish to keep others healthy.
A Private Suite Design would suit individuals who prefer to be set apart from others. This design might include:
- Individual seating & partitions
- An enclosed space
- Moveable dividers, screens, & planters
Modular Design Spaces have furniture that should be flexible with the ability to be reconfigured into larger or smaller seating areas, have convenient personal device support and charging capabilities, and provide spaces for personal property away from high-traffic areas.
Integrating these trending waiting area designs for all types of patients’ needs while remodeling will produce positive patient and staff experiences.
Technology Design Trends
A clinic or hospital with managed and well-integrated technology helps facilitate a space where patients can be productive, efficient, and make positive use of passing time.
Patients can check-in virtually, review their health history, confirm health insurance, and complete health questionnaires on their devices in their own personal space with charging capabilities on a safe and secure wifi connection.
Using a technology-friendly design, also called the Techno Transition Design, provides and anticipates new technologies with adaptive technological infrastructures. Provide apps for devices with easy access to learning about health as an individual or as a group-learning experience.
Applying the Techno Transition Design reduces human interactions and limits patients to potential exposure.
A great way to show your patients they are valued is by installing wall monitors displaying healthcare organization information, health-related information, and waiting time updates.
Trending Sustainable Transition and Waiting Area Designs
Trending sustainable designs for 2021 and beyond are all-inclusive spaces and contain elements focusing on minimizing stress.
Elements necessary for a multi-dimensional comforting experience include:
- Nature
- Biophilic design
- Clear wayfinding signage
- Changes in floor covering for social distancing
- Cleanable materials- disinfectant-friendly
- Polyester, polyester-vinyl composites, vinyl, & acrylics
- Antimicrobial coatings
- Increased MERV-rated filters
- Updated air exchangers
Trending Styles for Transition and Waiting Areas for 2021
The trending styles for 2021 are heavily-influenced by “mid-century modern” and its clean lines, minimalistic nature, and the elements are lighter in scale.
Similar to that era, the sense of community by its open spaces and continuous floor plans are echoed.
Trending Interior Design Colors for Transition and Waiting Room Areas for 2021
Set the tone of your healthcare space with style followed by color. Different colors affect people psychologically.
Gray is and will be the dominant neutral for 2021 paired with bold, contrasting colors.
Shades of coral and pink, mixtures of healing greens, navy, and a rust/orange are the trending colors. Using low-contrast colors creates softer, intimate, and quieter environments.
Trending textures and patterns for transition and waiting room areas for 2021
Patterns and textures are equally important to style and color. The textures and pattern create interest and drama.
What’s trending for 2021 in this area is dramatic textures and patterns.
Neutral wood tones and smooth stone with character are trending in healthcare interior design as well as carpet with woven textural effects and dramatic, contrasting colors.
Textures for healthcare settings:
- Stone accent walls add character, depth, and natural strength.
- Lighter, linear grain-patterned mid-century modern wood adds warmth to most spaces
- Natural textures bring depth and interest – marble & granite
Pair reclaimed wood on walls with smooth furniture fabric and /or smooth flooring.
Add a stone accent wall to add character, depth, and texture.
Transition and Waiting Area Design Tips for 2021
- Reduce patient stress with comfortable, inviting spaces that include designated areas for personal devices, bags, or beverages
- Create quiet zones
- Incorporate materials, textures, & colors that are soothing along with increased natural lighting and outdoor views
- Spaces should have transition capabilities such as reconfigurable or modular furniture that allow for posture options – sitting, leaning, or lounging
- Provide clear sight-lines & access to informational sources
- Increase technology integration, reduce touchpoints – automatic doorways
- Wider hallways and rooms to allow safe distancing and reduced interaction due to possible contagion exposure
Putting it all together
When redesigning a transition or waiting area, combine these trending elements to help facilitate a calm and positive experience for patients and staff alike.
2020 has been an incredibly dynamic year producing unexpected results.
Contact ProBuild to start your healthcare facility’s new year on the right foot with a patient-centric redesign and renovation constructed by an experienced and highly professional team.
Call or request online a no-obligation consultation today.
