So, I'm building a new clinic. I've made the exam rooms spacious at 12'x12'. I am trying to come up with the ideal exam room layout, and I'm wondering if you all could weigh in. What do you do now, and what would be your dream setup?
Currently the patient starts the visit sitting in an armchair by the wall, and I sit on the other side of the exam table, laptop on table, and chat face-to-face, which seems to improve communication. However, I'd like to get away from laptops. Every design I review online shows some funky setup with your back to the patient, laptop on a counter, a weird stand up rolling cart, or some other setup that looks like an add-on. There is no website I've found with a consensus opinion on the ideal furniture and positioning of patient and doctor.
Probably the best design I saw was in the UK, where the doctor sits at a regular office desk, patient across form him, and chatting. Then they both get up and go over to the exam table. It looks like a lawyers office with an exam table. But, this requires a large room. On the other hand, in this setup you can stay in the office and have patients come to you, rather than going room to room.
