There are several ways to make your patients feel comfortable and relaxed while they wait in the hospital. These include placing convenient amenities in the professional-looking waiting room, such as hand sanitizer and separate pen holders for staff and patients. This will put apprehensive patients at ease. 

Comfort

Hospital waiting rooms need to feel comfortable and welcoming. Adding custom boards with pictures of the doctor, information about the hospital, and schedules of events can make patients feel more welcome. You can also use locally-produced art to make the room feel more personal. Patients may spend hours in waiting rooms, so it is vital to give them a comfortable place to wait.

Adding a charging station and free WiFi can make the waiting time quicker. Having multiple outlets and charging cables is also important. Also, displaying beautiful nature scenes can make the patients feel calmer. 

Convenience

A recent survey showed that more than half of millennials would change their health care providers based on the convenience of online booking. Additionally, 80% of consumers prefer to pay their healthcare bills online, and 56% of patients say virtual waiting rooms are more efficient than traditional ones. These results point to the need for healthcare organizations to focus on convenience in addition to clinical expertise.

The design of the waiting room plays an important role in improving patient satisfaction. A comfortable environment should encourage patients to relax. It should also minimize social interactions between patients and staff. While waiting, patients should have easy access to televisions, magazines, and newspapers. It’s also a good idea to provide face masks for those prone to germs. 

Artwork

A non-profit group called Art in Hospitals has commissioned artists to create art installations in hospital waiting rooms. They aim to improve patient care and open hospital spaces to the wider community. In this article, they describe their research and share their findings. Here, you will learn why it’s important to include artwork in hospital waiting rooms. First, it is important to remember that many minority communities feel excluded from the health care system. Because of a history of mistreatment and neglect, many have lost trust in medical institutions and health providers. You can help these communities feel included and valued by including art in hospital waiting rooms.

Scenting

One of the best ways to do so is to make the hospital waiting room smell nice. This starts from the lobby and continues throughout the various departments. Scenting ideas can be as simple as displaying artwork or a community bulletin board. Awaiting rooms should have multiple lighting options for a calming atmosphere. It’s also a good idea to include some natural lighting, such as outdoor views. This will help the waiting room seem bigger and more inviting. 

Interactive video demos

One of the biggest complaints from patients is the long wait times. Many have busy lives and don’t want to spend hours in a hospital. But there are some things hospitals can do to help reduce this problem. One of the best ways is to use TVs in waiting rooms to offer patients some distraction. 

Hospitals can also use digital signage to replace traditional waiting room TVs. Currently, traditional waiting room TVs show ads from pharmaceuticals and unaffiliated companies. Digital signage, on the other hand, allows hospitals to create their ads. With this, they can compete with their competitors instead of giving away free advertising space to advertisers.

Storage

Hospital waiting rooms can be cluttered, so it is important to include plenty of storage for patients’ belongings. Luckily, there are many ways to add storage to your waiting room without adding extra furniture or a desk. Using baskets and hooks to store personal items is a great solution, particularly if the room has minimal seating.

Hospital waiting rooms should be functional and comfortable, but they also should be appealing to patients. For example, movable armrests and cushions can make waiting areas more comfortable.