Up until now, physicians and other health care providers worked within a cookie cutter form of office space. The first thing that patients see is the reception area, which is typically lined with chairs and stocked with magazines. There’s also the predictable check-in desk and hallways that lead to the examining rooms, and perhaps a lab room and several restrooms. With more insured people since the Affordable Care Act passed, the way physicians are leasing medical office space is changing. Today, there is a higher demand for more versatile medical office spaces.
Higher Demand For Outpatient Services
The simple truth is that there are more Americans that have health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act and that means there is more demand for services. All too often, hospitals cannot handle a higher patient load than they already experience and services are converted to off campus locations. It’s natural then, that there would be a higher demand for medical office space to accommodate the extra patients. However, that traditional floor plan discussed earlier may not be efficient for doctors or their patients.
Doctors and Physician’s Assistants
Oftentimes, a physician’s assistant is called upon to handle patients that require less care, and those that are being seen for basic check-ups and the like. A waiting room for the physician and a second waiting room for the assistant keep patients comfortable and allow for a more efficient workflow. Patients can check in at the main desk and are then directed to the right waiting room. Working together, yet separately, both providers are able to see more patients in a day, thus meeting the new demand for their services. In addition to streamlining office operations, ensuring that medical staff can quickly access necessary documents is crucial. For instance, obtaining medical certificates online can significantly enhance efficiency.
Medical Records Change Storage Needs
In the past, doctors had to keep huge files for every one of their patients for as long as a decade. For a large practice, those paper files take up a huge amount of space, which often cannot be found on the site. Oftentimes, that means having to rent a storage space across town. However, as physicians convert to medical records, they no longer need the same amount of storage space in their offices, or otherwise. That means that more space can be dedicated to patient treatment and examining rooms, which allows more to be seen in a day.
Increased Need For Other Services
In the past, if a patient had to have lab work, physical therapy, x-rays or other services, they would have to travel to a different building. Not only is this inconvenient, but it is inefficient as well. Keeping all of these satellite services under the same room as the physician’s office makes much more sense. Patients need only walk to another part of the facility to receive the tests or treatments that they were prescribed. It’s also beneficial to the doctor since they are able to get results faster than if they were outsourced.
If you are looking for medical office space, keep these things in mind and don’t be afraid to think outside the box that you’ve been in so long. It’s time for a new way of thinking about your space that will serve you and your patients better. Please, feel free to contact us if you need assistance finding a new space for your practice. We understand how important it is for you and your patients.
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