The medical industry in the United States is booming. Healthcare spending accounts for more than 18% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product.

Americans spend more than $4.3 trillion on medical care each year. The industry grew nearly 3% from the prior year.

Growth in the healthcare industry means that more office space is needed. Urgent care centers are the perfect example.

There are now more than 11,000 urgent care facilities in the U.S. This was a 7% annual increase, which is much faster than the growth in healthcare spending.

The medical industry is also hypercompetitive and factors like office design are critical. Read on for a comprehensive guide to medical office design. Explore topics such as doctor and dental office design.

How to Design a Doctor's Office

Your decisions regarding office design are important for patient recruitment and retention. Patients may decide to use a different practice if they are unhappy with the office layout.

There are a number of features and characteristics to build into your medical office. Continue reading for a breakout of the most important design considerations.

Open Floor Plan

Seeing a doctor or dentist inevitably involves some waiting. You do not want your patients crammed into a medical prison.

Many doctors are opting for an open floor plan as an alternative. Here, they are integrating patients with administrative staff.

Your construction team is going to move away from installing traditional framing materials and sheetrock walls. Instead, they may use glass barriers or just use long desks to separate patients and staff.

Color Scheme

Studies show that people have a subconscious reaction to colors. One study showed that 90% of snap judgments made when buying products were solely based on color.

There are many factors that impact color preference. For example, a person's gender may dictate their psychological reaction to colors.

Women prefer softer colors than men do. Softer colors put women at ease and make them feel more comfortable. This is an important distinction for specific medical practices like OB/GYNs.

Regardless of gender, blue is a popular color in human psychology. Other colors like red and orange do not draw a favorable psychological response.

Natural Lighting

Natural lighting is another important design feature in a professional setting. For starters, natural lighting is proven to help employees maximize their productivity. It works by improving mood, which allows employees to bring positivity and a strong work ethic to their job.

It also makes for a welcoming environment for your guests. Few patients enjoy sitting in a dark and enclosed office. Instead of amplifying a patient's anxiety about seeing the doctor, natural light puts them at ease.

Your Guide to Medical Office Design

You are now ready to make your doctor's office a welcoming environment for patients. Design features like an open floor plan or a focus on natural lighting make a difference. A professional designer can help create a functional and efficient layout to optimize productivity.

If you are looking for medical office design help, contact us today to schedule a consultation.