Whether you’re a doctor or a dentist, patients can become quite anxious when they are waiting in your surgery or clinic practice. What you might not realise, is that there a few simple design aspects that you can implement within your space to help your patients to feel as relaxed as possible.
Hit the roof
When you are looking for a home you might want to choose a property with a high ceiling. However, when it comes to your clinic, a low ceiling is the way to go. Researchers have found that people’s thoughts and actions are affected by the height of a ceiling. Lower ceilings make people focus on specifics and offer a sense of security, and in a surgery or operating theater, patients feel that their surgeons are more focused on specifics if the room has a lower ceiling.
Focus on health
When you need your patients to focus on their treatment, views of natural settings have shown to improve focus. In fact, greenery or green space has shown to help children with ADD become more focused. If you don’t have a window in your examination room, add some plants or greenery around the space. Living plants will also provide much needed oxygen which will help your patients to keep calm as they breathe in fresh oxygen.
Colour your clinic
Colour has shown time and time again to have an impact on our moods. When you are choosing a colour paint for the interior of your office, go for the colours that are going to make your patients feel as comfortable as possible. Light blue promotes calm and serenity, while green can help to alleviate stress. White also evokes feelings of cleanliness and calm.
Lighten up
Where possible, let in as much natural sunlight in as possible. In retirement homes, residents who were exposed to more sunlight had less cognitive decline, and sunlight can improve brain function of people of any age. When it comes to artificial light, dim lighting has shown to help people loosen up.
Take the edge off
Modern furniture often has a lot of sharp edges and angles, however, psychologically people associate these with danger, so choose furniture that has curved or rounded edges where possible.
Just a few simple interior design adjustments, and your patients will feel much calmer, and even healthier, before they make their way to you.
At Perfect Practice, we specialize in creating healthcare spaces that promote a positive patient experience. Contact us today to learn how we can help to transform your practice into a calming and inviting space that your patients will love. Don’t wait, take the first step towards creating a perfect practice today!
