Expert Tips For Furnishing Your Hospital Waiting Room
On average, a patient waits for 20 minutes in a healthcare waiting room before their appointment. The room is the first impression of your clinic or hospital. It has to be the very best.
A waiting room that is designed for functionality and volume with harsh lights and sparse decoration doesn’t scream comfort and care. On the other hand, a waiting room with well-designed healthcare furniture promotes wellness and ease.
With this in mind, we dive into the best tips for healthcare waiting room furniture. The strategies make your practice in Chennai aesthetically pleasing and amazingly comfortable.
Seating recommendations for your hospital waiting room
We know that the design of a waiting room matters. So:
Have a lot of open space to make the atmosphere inviting.
Use functional but not too harsh lighting.
The reception table should be the first thing a patient should see.
Inspace Healthcare Furniture is one of the best hospital furniture manufacturers in Chennai. We have 33 years of experience in the furniture industry and are experts in undertaking product customization in larger volumes. Our excellent furniture solutions include SS instrument trolley, hospital overbed table, examination table for clinic, and much more. We ensure that our hospital furniture meets the changing needs of hospitals and patients with quality, safety, and durability. Established in 1987, we guarantee quality and convenience!
When you’ve built a layout with these 3 keys, start working on the seating of the healthcare waiting room. Here are the tips to follow:
Don’t use cheap plastic chairs. They are uncomfortable.
Opt for modular seating with movable components. This ensures that different patients can fit in the same chair.
Individual, padded chairs are great because they offer personal space and privacy to each patient.
Most seating should have sturdy arms for support while getting up.
A few couches are a good option because they remove the restriction of armrests.
Have a few durable chairs for specialised needs. Like bariatric seating for those who need it and wheelchairs for specially-abled people.
Low-level seats are uncomfortable for patients with post-operative care. Have higher Charis for them.
Use special waiting room armchairs for elderly patients. They offer greater inclination on the backrest and provide mobility support.
Besides individual chairs, a cluster of sofas or loveseats around a coffee table is an excellent option. They can be used by families like parents who come in with children. By occupying one corner of the waiting room, they won’t bother the other patients.
Most healthcare waiting room furniture needs to adapt to a small space. But there are a few waiting rooms that are often spacious. To bring personality and warmth to a large waiting room in Chennai, use healthcare furniture like benches and seating beams. These can also be utilised in corridors near a waiting room
What qualities must all waiting room furniture have?
Ergonomics:
Waiting for your doctor is an anxiety-filled moment. On top of it, if the furniture is hard and uncomfortable, the time seems to stretch further. Therefore, the first quality every healthcare waiting room furniture should have is ergonomics.
Keep in mind that it is not just the guests who should feel comfortable; the staff in the waiting room also needs the same care. Ensure that the reception table and chair are ergonomic. It will prevent fatigue from settling in by sitting throughout the day.
Material:
The second quality of every waiting room furniture is easy maintenance. The upholstery used on seats, benches, sofas and more should be simple to clean and quick to maintain. Moreover, it must be sanitisable. The material must also be durable and sturdy because waiting rooms have a very heavy footfall. Flimsy material will not be able to take daily wear and tear.
Last, of all, the colour of the material should match or complement the entire waiting room to create pleasing aesthetics.
Strategies for a Cozy Waiting room
Have plants.
A study by NASA says that certain plants like gerbera and aloe vera can filter volatile organic compounds from the air. So, where feasible, add a few plants to your waiting room in Chennai. They’ll not only make it more pleasing but also improve air quality.
Keep dividers.
If possible, keep a nook of the waiting room separate from the others using dividers. This can be applied for privacy like making a phone call without disturbing others.
Think colour and style.
The style and colour of your healthcare furniture should mirror your practice. Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you are a cutting-edge healthcare facility, opt for modern furniture.
For holistic treatment practices, neutral shades with natural material are best.
If you are a paediatric facility, choose bright and bold colours that attract children.
The colours that are best for the waiting room are:
Greens and browns as they have a calming effect on people.
Blue tones are also lovely if you have an open-concept waiting room
Make it enjoyable.
Research says that 57% of people use a mobile phone to keep them entertained while waiting. 1 in 5 use a smartphone to look up health-related info while sitting in a waiting room.
So, why not provide free Wi-Fi for all your patients as they wait for their appointment. Another way to make it enjoyable is to have reading material like magazines, posters, newspapers, etc. because 95% of patients prefer it. Although 41% of people say they wish to watch TV while waiting for their doctor, it is best to play educational videos on TV.
The Last Few Tips:
Windows make the waiting room seem light and airy. Use them if possible. Avoid any fluorescent lights. They are not comfortable. Soft lights that please the eye are best. Have an area where patients can keep their personal belongings. Access to power plugs is also a great way to make waiting rooms comfortable.
Finally, keep the entire room absolutely clean. As we said, waiting rooms are the first impression, and you want to make a great one. Dirty floor or torn furniture is not the best way to do it.
Waiting rooms need not be the unpleasant experience more patients think them to be. Calming design, personal touches and the right healthcare waiting room furniture from Inspace, Chennai can go a long way to make the experience pleasurable and relaxed.
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Inspace Hospital Furniture, with over 30 years of experience boasts of perfection at par with excellence in coming up with the best-ever furniture solutions that walk hand in hand with the latest technological advancements.
