Pandemic-Proof Waiting Room Ideas for Your Practice

There is no question that your practice had to make a multitude of changes to your processes and to your medical office to be in compliance with CDC recommendations in order to keep your staff and patients safe while we navigate this pandemic and beyond. These changes probably included your waiting room. Let’s discuss pandemic-proof waiting room ideas for your practice.

Not only are we discouraged from crowding a room with people, there are multiple touch points in a waiting room that can house germs and transmit them to your patients. The simple answer is to get rid of the waiting room altogether but that isn’t a smart choice since not everyone will have a vehicle to wait in until it’s their turn. Here are some ways you can make your waiting room safe and comfortable for your customers and staff.

Create Separate Wait Zones

If you aren’t able to keep your chairs six feet apart, you can create separated zones by adding partitions between the chairs to give your patients more separation from each other. Zoning is also a great way to keep your waiting room clean. As patients move through each zone, you can keep track of which area needs to be cleaned and have a space already clean for the next patient.

Sanitize With Long-Lasting Disinfectants

While you would love to have the time to deep clean the waiting room after every person leaves, sometimes this just isn’t an option. So, using a long-lasting disinfectant that will continue to kill germs after initial contact is essential to keeping your waiting room clean.

Provide Entertainment That Doesn’t Involve Touch

It may seem hard to believe, but not everyone has a smartphone or device readily available to keep them entertained while waiting. And, since the usual magazines and toys need to be removed from waiting rooms, there needs to be something to keep them entertained. One way to provide entertainment is to add a television to the wait area, or if you have the space, add two. Having a separate tv for the kids will go a long way in keeping your patients happy while they wait. You can also add music to the waiting room or add a small fountain to give them a peaceful sound to keep them relaxed before seeing the doctor.

Go Virtual

If your office sees a lot of patients and schedules tend to get pushed, causing longer waits for your patients, it’s important to communicate these schedule changes with them to limit the amount of wait time in your office. One way to do this is to implement a virtual wait list that your patients can see at any time on the day of their appointment. This will let them know if things are starting to run behind schedule so they can delay arrival until there is a spot for them. You can also reduce the amount of touch points between your staff and patients by implementing online registering and payment options. Passing clipboards and pens back and forth add unnecessary touchpoints to the check in process when it could be handled more efficiently online.

If your office and waiting area could use a refresh but you don’t have the funds available to implement them, we’re here to help. We have been providing affordable working capital to doctors and dentists for over two decades and we’re still here for you now. Contact your local loan consultant to learn more about the unique loan products we have available to help your practice grow. Or, if you’re ready to get started now, complete our online application to receive your offer. After submission, your assigned loan consultant will be in touch with you to go over your options and help you find the best solution to meet your practice’s needs.