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Floor Plan Design

Efficient patient flow is the number one concern for most of our clients. You need a plan that gives you super-efficient patient flow without one inch of wasted space. The worst thing you could do is to waste money building an office with a floor plan that doesn’t work.

However, your individual requirements are not the only ones that must be met in order to build or remodel your office. Your local building codes also play a part in the layout of your floor plan. You must have knowledge of both building codes and practice operations to create a floor plan that works efficiently and meets all code requirements. Here are some helpful tips for laying out a floor plan for maximum efficiency. 

Patient Flow
Provide as short a path of travel as possible for patient from waiting to data collection (or work-up) to exam/treatment to optical. A one-way circular "race track" configuration is very efficient but works best in a square or large rectangular space. When a space is long and narrow a wide central hallway with two-way traffic might be necessary.

Preventing Common Bottlenecks
Multiple data collection rooms and multiple check-out stations at the front desk can prevent bottlenecks in these two common problem areas. New time-saving diagnostic equipment that can  increase productivity is always being developed. You must plan enough flexible space so you can add more equipment in the future. 

The check-out area is prone to bottlenecks. The larger the office, the more different stations you need so several patients can be checked out at the same time. For some offices placing two or three check-out stations at the front desk is sufficient. For really busy offices adding check-out capability at a separate frame delivery counter, at optical styling tables or even in contact lens training allows the staff to get patients checked out quickly at one place or another during heavy traffic times.

Staff Zones and Patient Zones
The more you can do in the floor plan to separate patient areas from staff areas, the more efficient your practice will be. Every practice benefits from having a back or side door, where the doctor can enter without being seen by patients in the waiting area. 

Codes and Regulations
Your office must meet minimum hallway and door widths and restroom clearances to accommodate the disabled and must meet fire department requirements for safe exiting in case of fire. You also need to be aware of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements regarding patient privacy for records. 

Your floor plan is the backbone of your practice. Mistakes made in the floor plan can’t be fixed later. If you can’t afford professional help for your entire project the best place to invest your design dollars is in getting an efficient floor plan designed that will foster high productivity for you and your staff for years to come. For more information on floor plan design see this Floor Plan Case Study.