When designing a medical facility, keep in mind that you are providing a "need service," not a "want service." Your patients are coming to you because they need to receive health care, not because they want to. They are uneasy and a little stressed. For that reason, you want to make their visit as easy and comfortable as possible. Here are things you can do when designing your facility to make your patients' experience more pleasant:

• The building should be easy to find and easy to see from the street.
• The patient parking area must be visible from the street and easy to access. Once in the parking area, the main entry of the building must be clear and visible to the patient so they know exactly where to enter the building.
• When the patient enters the building, it is important to make it easy to find his or her way. The directory, the elevator, and the main stairs must be clearly visible. The departments must be clearly labeled and easy to find.
• The waiting rooms should be warm, inviting, and full of natural light. The color scheme should be neutral with soft accent colors and the furniture should be a variety of styles to add interest. Art work also adds visual interest to the space.

If you can keep it simple, warm, and inviting, you will design a very successful medical facility.