Everyone has a right to healthcare, but they also have a right to choose where they get that care and who provides it for them. That is why private clinics are so important, because they offer choice and something different to patients. Of course, the most important thing of all is the quality of healthcare you provide and that will be foremost in your patient’s minds. However, it does not hurt to have somewhere that is welcoming for them, whether it is while they are waiting or chatting with you about their problems.
You need to remember that people are far more likely to moan about something they didn’t like than they are to tell people about something they did. You do not want people leaving your clinic with a bad impression, not because of the quality of healthcare, but because the décor was well below par.
Cost of any improvements might be an issue if you are just starting a new clinic, but there are few things that you could do yourself to help attract the patients you are after.
Offer Better Services
Before we get into what design DIYs you can do to improve your space, you first need to ensure that the service you provide is top notch. Hire Insight Medical Partners to work with you so that you can provide the best service possible. Their aim is to provide custom ancillary support for you, meaning that you can put more effort into ensuring your patients are comfortable, healthy, and treated well.
Look at offering more medical services than you already do. Have you got a chiropodist? Can you offer psychotherapy? Do you have a practice nurse that can take some of the burden off your shoulders? Do you have specialists in any particular areas of medicine? It is not being suggested that you immediately employ all these people. You can find them that will work on a freelance basis, maybe a couple of days a week. As long as your patients know the days and times any extra services will be available, it can only add to the usefulness of your healthcare clinic.
Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal
Once you are happy with the services you can provide, the next step is to spruce up your curb appeal. Redo the driveway, either by painting it or stripping it, landscape, repaint, and clean. The more orderly your yard, the more welcoming your practice will be. You should also aim to be easily recognizable – paint your doors all the same bright shade of blue, for example, so that those who are trying to find your private practice can do so easily.
A clinic that looks inviting from the outside is far more likely to attract patients to the inside, so although you will not be treating them outdoors, it is worth making the effort to improve the external appearance.
Create a Custom Sign
The more effort you put into your sign, the better. Though making the physical sign yourself should be done only if you have advanced carpentry skills or the right equipment, you can absolutely create the design yourself with ease. There are free tools to use online, but generally speaking, picking a good, solid font and working with the layout on a program like Photoshop is all that you need.
You want your sign to be easy to read and have all the important information, like the name of your clinic, your address, the telephone number and your opening times. You could even take it up a notch and add a royalty-free border around your text. Before you go to get your draft created into a sign, however, ask your friends, family, and clients what they think of the design and if they have any input. Take what they say into advisement and make any necessary changes before you commission a custom sign for your yard.
Design Basics to Make the Waiting Room More Comfortable
The more comfortable the waiting room, the more your patients can relax while they wait. Nice sofas, reading material, and good design will go a long way to keep them occupied. Design your waiting room like you would a living room. Offer your guests a place to hang up their coats, somewhere to put their umbrella, and comfortable seating. By adding artwork and plant life to these basic amenities, you can make any standard waiting room into a comfortable one.
The same principles apply to your consulting rooms. The patients should feel relaxed when they are chatting over their problems with you, and being seated on a high backed hard chair is not going to help towards that. Also, you need to remember that you could be in the consulting room for a few hours stretch without a break, so it needs to cater for your comforts as well.
Think Of The Children
If a parent has a health issue but has to bring young children with them to the clinic it can be quite stressful for them, which could make their condition worse. Make sure you set aside a corner as a play area, with a few toys and books to keep the children happy. Although most children these days are well into technology with tablets and smartphones, you may be surprised how much pleasure than can get from a few building bricks, toy cars, dolls and maybe some jigsaw puzzles.
You Do Not Need To Spend A Fortune
None of the above suggestions are overly expensive, and most of them you could quite easily do yourself without breaking the bank. A few tins of paint, a little creativity and some hard work can make a huge difference to the appearance and appeal of your clinic. Very often private clinics are located underneath a practitioner’s home, which is why you need to do your best to make it comfortable and stand out. Combine design elements with excellent service to grow your customer base to ensure your business thrives.