September 3, 2008

• Waiting rooms

  I've been spending a bit of time in hospital waiting rooms lately.  I was trying to figure out what would make the experience a bit better.  Yeah, this is a strange topic but I'm a bit strange.

  1.  The waiting rooms would have comfortable chairs, with tables
  nearby to hold your drinks and stuff. 
  There would be lots of windows with natural light pouring in.  Why supply reading materials, forms to fill
  out, etc… when the lighting isn’t sufficient? 
  The chairs would not be joined together with other chairs.  You should be able to move them around.  There should also be enough space in the waiting rooms so people aren't crammed together.  If I'm coughing and sniffling, I don't want to sit near someone and I'm sure they feel the same about me.   
  

   

  2.  There would be a
  few nooks and crannies so that you can be by yourself or with others.  Conversation with others would be bit easier so you
  don’t have to worry about others listening in.   
  

   

  3.  The hospital computer
  systems would include a recent picture of patient (from a webcam when you check
  in).  Among the patient’s data is a small
  audio file of your name.  When they call
  you, they know what you look like and how to pronounce your name. Sometimes when they call people, several start to stand up at the same time thinking that their name has been mispronounced again. 
  

   

  4.  The colors of the
  waiting room should be bright, cheery – not dull, depressing and downtrodden.   The prints / pictures and paintings should be
  updated frequently.  Heck, get a large
  video display and put up nature or scenery pictures  from Flickr or other photography sites.
  

   

  5.  Ventilation – lots
  of fresh air being circulated, cooled in the summer and warmed in the
  winter.  We don’t need the bone chilling
  breath of Jack Frost in the summer and dry Sahara
  heat during the winter.

   

  6.  When you’re inside
  the hospital maze, it’s hard to tell North, South, East and West.  So don’t tell folks that they need to go to
  the North Wing.  Signs should be large, clear
  and well lit. 

   

  7.      Where
  possible, use plants inside the hospital to give it more greenery. 

   

  8.       All doors should open automatically or with
  the help of a button. 

   

  9.  Waiting rooms
  should have “bars” w/ stools and counters. 
  So if you want to stand, you have something to lean on to.  
  

  10.  If you're part of the front line staff serving the public, try to act at least somewhat interested in your job.  I'm sure you've heard some of the questions we're going to ask a million times already.  We're going to keep asking them so don't be irritated or impatient.  Eye contact would be nice.  A friendly voice would be helpful. 
  

  11.  While I applaud the decision to put washrooms close to the waiting rooms, don't put chairs right by the door of the washrooms.  I don't want to listen to everything nor do I want to be heard. 
  

  • 7:09 AM
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