Outfitting Your New Office (Part I)

Exam Table

Congratulations! You’ve made the career-altering decision to open your own practice. With this significant change comes countless new responsibilities; one of the most pressing concerns is the purchase or lease of an office and the furnishing and setup of said office for optimal workflow, patient comfort, and staff efficiency. With a dizzying array of options in every area of office arrangement and organization – furniture! equipment! supplies! filing! – the process may seem insurmountable. Our guide to setting up your office is designed to help you find exactly what you need to suit your individual needs, preferences, tastes, and budget.

Furniture

Some of the largest – and most important – purchases that you will need to make fall under the umbrella category of furniture. Every room in your new office will need to be furnished according to its specific purpose. Much emphasis is placed on furniture as it corresponds to the true character of the office: a pediatrician’s office will need small, colorful chairs for young patients and room for stroller maneuverability; obstetrician’s offices require comfortable and/or oversized chairs for expectant mothers; a family practitioner may wish to find chairs and tables to accommodate patients of all ages. Furthermore, every doctor has his or her distinct inclinations with regard to cabinetry, doctor’s stools, and exam tables for a variety of specialties.

Waiting room/reception area

As the old adage goes, first impressions are the most lasting. Every practitioner wishes to have a welcoming, calm, clean room for patients to see upon entering the office. Furniture to consider for the reception area includes a desk for the receptionist, comfortable, appropriate patient seating, magazine racks and literature holders to entertain patients during wait times, and coat hanging systems to make patients feel at home. A well-furnished, hospitable reception and waiting room can have a reassuring effect on nervous patients, making exams and procedures go more smoothly and reducing complaints while patients wait their turns.

Physician’s office

Mobile Workstation

Like a pleasant waiting room has a positive effect on patients, an attractive office provides numerous benefits and must be outfitted accordingly. Every physician requires a comfortable space of his or her own in his or her practice to do paperwork and meet with patients. It is imperative that the space be organized and appealing to help the doctor achieve a composed state of mind for dealing with the everyday stressful situations that he or she is sure to encounter and to serve as a soothing backdrop for uneasy patients. An ergonomic chair, mobile or fixed workstation (for doctors with smaller spaces, a fold-out wall unit may be more appropriate), bright, clean light, and technology docking or public access computer (for EMR-equipped offices) stations are all important in furnishing a private office. 

Exam room

Side Chair

The exam room is a focal part of a doctor’s office and must be equipped accordingly. Every physician needs to carefully select an exam table or chair consistent with his or her specialty; he or she may choose from power or manual chairs or tables; storage options such as drawers or shelves; specialty treatment tables or chairs for podiatry, chiropractic adjustments, phlebotomy (blood draw chairs), and bariatric patients; and a wide variety of colors, cushioning, and styles to complement any décor. Aside from the actual exam table or chair, the basic exam room should include, at the very least, a doctor’s stool, a side chair to seat relatives or caretakers, and a waste can.

Depending on the type of practice being prepared, additional furnishings may be necessary. When an exam room serves multiple purposes, such as a combination office, lab, and/or exam room or a room in a busy, multi-patient clinic, a privacy screen may be necessary as well to ensure patient confidentiality and comfort. A doctor with bariatric patients may need a lift to assist large patients in getting onto the exam table. In a practice that regularly comes into contact with bodily substances, as most specialties do, a biohazard waste can and/or sharps disposal for routine needle sticks, blood draws, or immunizations will be essential as well. A pediatrician may wish to have a bassinet for infants; offices with high cabinets or hard-to-reach supplies will likely need a step stool to ease access. Many physicians will opt for communications boards – marker boards, cork boards, directory boards, display panels, chalkboards, mobile or easel boards – to relay important information to patients and staff throughout the facility.

Built-in Cabinet System

The exam room should be fitted with appropriate cabinetry and counters to hold various supplies. Permanent wooden cabinet systems may be customized with different configuration and finish options and serve as full preparation and storage stations with a sink, countertop, backsplash, and generous cabinets and drawers. Alternatively, one may choose to order each component – sink, counter, drawers, desk unit, and various cabinet types in a variety of colors and materials – separately and set them up according to his or her preferences. For additional and specialty storage, the physician may choose to install narcotics lockers for extra security on prescription drugs; mobile supply cabinets with doors for smaller practices with less storage space, bulk or specialized supplies, or a need for added security; or closed, dedicated treatment and supply cabinets in assorted designs for large instruments, dangerous or expensive necessities, and extra storage.

Filing

Doctor’s offices tend to accumulate a substantial amount of paperwork – not just any paperwork, but highly confidential, essential paperwork. A disorganized office is sure to lead to disgruntled patients, stressed receptionists, and even trouble with the law. Why risk it? With an enormous selection of file cabinets, there is a system for everyone.

Shelving

Open-Shelf Filing

Open-shelf filing systems are commonly used in typical doctor’s offices. They allow for uncomplicated organization and location of files as tabs are visible at all times. Shelves are designed to hold either letter-size or legal-size charts; some are intended solely for x-ray storage. The shelving units feature rigid or moveable shelf dividers for further orderliness in filing and are completely modular, customizable, and stackable for growth potential and usefulness in the event of a move or office rearrangement.

Carts

Mobile file carts are practical in large offices, clinics, and file transportation. Their wheeled room-to-room portability allows users to efficiently move several files of various dimensions simultaneously or to store smaller amounts of files temporarily. Many feature multiple storage capabilities with open or lockable file shelves, utility shelves, and a countertop for additional workspace. Some carts are designed to hold binders or x-rays. The carts are small and discreet for stowage in any part of the office, including tight or unusually sized locations, enabling users to configure even small offices efficiently without wasting any space or cluttering the office.

Closed filing

Closed-Door Filing

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates that medical records be stored securely with limited access. Doctors may prudently opt for closed-door filing systems to protect their patients’ privacy. Closed filing systems are available in two basic formats: with a tambour door, which slides open and closed over the entire shelving system like a garage door, or with retractable doors, with multiple openings for single-shelf accessibility. The closed systems combine the neat, systematic filing of open-shelf units with the security of secure locking doors and are available in a range of sizes, formats, and colors.

Filing with space constraints

Track Filing

For doctors who desire systematic filing but have a large number of patients and/or limited space for filing, a track or rotary filing system is the right choice. Track systems can increase storage space by 100% without ruining files or compromising on shelf quality. With a track system, multiple shelving units may be slid smoothly aside to access other units completely or partially behind them, cutting down on the need for additional wall space. Like standard shelving units, the track systems feature shelf dividers, various tier configurations, and size and color options. Some feature HIPAA-compliant locking doors for safekeeping.

Rotary filing systems provide twice the storage space in half the space. The shelves are cleverly built back-to-back in a rotating inner unit; simply spin the unit around to access other files. With anywhere from two to eight dividable shelves per side, the systems are modular and may be placed in the center of a room to serve not only as an innovative filing system but as a room divider or workspace as well. The units may be locked in an open or closed position to comply with HIPAA regulations and protect patient privacy.

Furniture and filing are merely two of the many categories of necessities in setting up a new doctor’s office. Check back in with us at Tiger Medical Supplies next week for a comprehensive list and review of medical supplies, diagnostic tools, and medical equipment that you will need in your exciting but challenging venture!