Most practicing doctors and other professionals take matters of renovating, rebuilding and redecorating their offices and clinics into their own hands. They do not consult architects, engineers and other building contractors while doing their offices. They based their experiences in building to their experiences in their respective practices and in the knowledge of what they think they need in a clinic or office.



That is not at all bad. Of course, consulting experts in building construction would not hurt as well. This will help in eliminating mistakes all together in designing a floor plan for a clinic or doctors office.

Examine the four floor plan mistakes committed while constructing a clinic.

1.Designing a floor plan without identifying the actual dimensions of the space they will be renting. An expert say that it is impossible to design a floor plan without setting up or without knowing the existing set-up of the interior dimensions, windows and doors, electrical and plumbing.

2.It is also important to determine size of the space to be used. Without the size, everything that will be built will not hold out effectively. Doctors usually ask for general guidelines but with all the variables and elements to consider in the construction, there can be no set of rules for this as other elements may factor in like restrooms, entryways and mechanical rooms may change the square footage necessary in building a clinic.

3.Choosing a floor design that does not work for you and your purpose. There are three designs of floor plans now being used for chiropractic offices.

- Traditional design that allows individual rooms for x-ray, treatment exam and private use. Additional therapy room or central rehabilitation areas are being built as well.

- Combination rooms involve much bigger rooms since rooms are shared by different areas like doctors office, exam room and treatment room. Sometimes x-ray areas are also combined with the other rooms mentioned.

- Open design provides a bigger space for all areas of concern. The only problem is the lack of privacy.

4.Door placement is a common mistake too including how it swings. Sometimes, a simple opening would do just fine for an adjacent room but doorways are still built in wrong places. Door placement can be very costly, so it is very important to determine if doors are needed or not. You can save more if you identify your needs properly.

In building clinics, there are other factors to look into aside from the floor plan -

- Parking. This is major consideration in your new clinic location since patients who are in wheelchairs drop by cars will be very convenient if a parking space is offered to them. Parking spaces for staff and for a health care facility are welcome additions to the amenities.

- Visibility and accessibility are also important factors because it can maximize your potential for clients, patients and customers.

- Interior buildout. Look for clinics or spaces that already include some interior amenities in its building and office spaces. It will be unwise to do an interior finish of worth $30,000 for only three years occupancy.

- Weather lock. Search for offices with double entryway for proper ventilation or correct airflow within the building.

- Reception room visibility. The most effective reception area is the one with clear visibility and shows the receptionist upon entering the door thus giving a welcoming atmosphere and not a clinic that hides something. This will add a personal touch to your services.

- Hallway visibility. This allows the receptionist to route effectively patients. It is very important for her to see the entire reception room and the treatment areas main hallway.

- Windows and walls. There are certain rooms in a clinic that needs a natural daylight to have a bright and warm appeal. Darkrooms and other rooms that do not need the brightness of light should be positioned in rooms without windows.

- Change orders. In construction, make sure that changes in the blueprint must be identified even before the construction takes pace in order to have lesser costs rather than having the changes after that would cost higher.

- Wiring. All electrical wiring should be done before the construction progresses so the wires can be arranged properly without mistakes.

Before beginning to design your office or clinic, be sure to have a work plan on hand and a working budget chart to work on so that you can refer to them every now and then. Make this investment work for you and not only to the builders of your office. Building your office needs a lot of patience, keenness to details, proper planning and consultation with the experts to avoid the most common mistakes. Remember, your office or clinic is an important part of your profession and career and keep in mind, first impressions last.