Clinic Design Comparative Analysis

AHEAD Architecture + Health Design Consultants

Clinic Design Comparative Analysis

A Post-Occupancy Evaluation Comparative Study was conducted including three clinics from award-winning healthcare design firms.

The study focused on the assessment of four outcome categories: Operational Efficiency, Space Efficiency, Clinical Effectiveness, and Positive Experience. The study led to the development of EvidenceBased Design Guidelines to inform design.

CLINIC 1 1

LEGEND - Indirect access from waiting area to exam rooms - Distributed staff work areas - Unstandardized clinical pods

Waiting and Check-In Patient Care Areas Staff Work Areas Support Areas

- No visibility from staff work areas to patient care areas

Patient Flow Staff Flow

CLINIC 2

- Indirect access from waiting area to exam rooms

LEGEND Waiting and Check-In

- Standardized Clinical Pods physically separated

Patient Care Areas

- Patients and staff separate access to exam rooms

Support Areas

Staff Work Areas

Patient Flow

- Centralized staff core with direct visibility to patient care areas

Staff Flow

CLINIC 3

LEGEND - Direct access from waiting area to exam rooms

Waiting and Check-In Patient Care Areas

- Standardized Clinical Pods physically and virtually connected - Centralized staff core with direct visibility to patient care areas

Staff Work Areas Support Areas Patient Flow Staff Flow

METRICS Operational Efficiency Movement and Flow • Space layout • Throughput time • Wait Time • Travel Distance • Visibility Flexibility • Clinical Pod Standardization

-

-

ACTIVITIES Patient Observations using UMT Plus and Layout IQ Software Surveys Interviews Plan Analyses

Metric Example Travel Distance

Activity Plan Analyses

Clinic 3 Providers Medical Assistants

Clinic 2

Patients

Clinic 1

0

50

100

TRAVEL DISTANCE IN FEET

150

200

250

Metric Example Patient Throughput Time

Activity Patient Observations

Clinic 3 Necessary Check-in & Check-out

Non Value Added

Clinic 2

Waiting & Walking

Value Added Assessment, Examination, & Education

Clinic 1

0

25

50

75

PATIENT THROUGHPUT TIME IN MINUTES

100

Metric Example Operational Efficiency Staff Satisfaction

Activity Staff Surveys

Clear visibility between staff and patient care areas Total patient wait time

Clinic 3 Patient throughput time

Clinic 2 Walking distance from staff work areas to patient care areas

Clinic 1 Space layout to support efficient staff flow Space layout to support efficient patient flow

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

STAFF SATISFACTION SCORES Clinic 3 had the best throughput time recorded through Patients’ Observations. However, the Surveys indicate the staff at Clinic 3 was the least satisfied with their throughput time. This discrepancy is explained by differing Clinics’ expectations.

FINDINGS OVERVIEW Direct access from waiting area to exam rooms ü SHORTER TRAVEL DISTANCES

Standardized Clinical Pods with physical and visual connections ü GREATER FLEXIBILITY

Exam rooms organized around centralized staff core ü ü ü ü

EFFICIENT PATIENT AND STAFF FLOW GREATER TEAM COLLABORATION INCREASED PATIENT MONITORING AND CONTROL LOWER THROUGHPUT TIMES