Medical, Dental and Allied Health Fitouts have special needs.
There’s many things to consider in the design and build of treatment and consulting areas but here’s 5 top points to plan for in your new fitout.
Think ahead to hunt off mistakes later on.
1. Identify “Zones” clearly.
Patients and consultants move between consultation, treatment, accounts & booking, waiting areas and so on.
Creation of traffic circulation pathways, clear signage, changes in flooring materials, changes in wall colours or surfaces, different types of lighting all will be indicators of where traffic is to move.
Staff- Only areas need to be clearly defined to eliminate privacy problems.
2. Equipment Storage.
Make a list of all equipment, of their dimensions, of where they are to be used and how they are to be stored.
It’s a must to allow for specific places to store and use equipment.
It’s also a must to allow for future additional equipment.
Many times we come across “forgotten” items which needed to be considered at the overall design stage. Their omission can cause problems down the track.
3. Appropriate Lighting.
Tailor lighting to various tasks and needs.
For instance, medical examination fittings, either wall or ceiling mounted, need to be well placed for the task.
Warmer, generalised lighting in a general consultation “zone” is advised to relax and reduce stress in patients.
4. Wall and Floor Surface Choices to minimise Bacterial Infection.
Use smooth surfaces to reduce the risk of contamination.
Reduce the use of crevices and ridges which collect dust and bacteria.
Treat joints and seams for easy cleaning and maintenance and use wipeable/washable materials for high-traffic areas.
Tiles with grout aren’t nearly as desirable, either as smooth sheeting for splashbacks or sheet vinyls for floors.
Think hard about what types of durable materials will serve this purpose.
5. Sterilising Room Demarcation Zone.
Sterilising of implements needs to occur in a designated “dirty” and “clean” zone.
Preferably there should be a separate room for this, but regardless, create a very clear demarcation line between dirty and clean.
This can be done with a flooring and splashback colour change eg: red for dirty and blue for clean.
It’s a visual reminder of what needs to happen in this area.
Forward Planning always works.
It might take more time in the start up stage, but it’s definitely time well spent!
