As a result of the unprecedented need to mitigate the spread of germs, healthcare facilities are undergoing significant changes. Several outpatient facilities were forced to suspend operations for weeks, even months, and adapt for patients who rely on their services for medical needs. Several months later, patients are just now beginning to return to outpatient facilities in person.
The expectation is that certain trends in outpatient clinic design – namely the continued expansion into areas close to residential and workplace environments and away from major medical centers – are only likely to continue. There is ongoing debate about possible changes to the size of these centers, and whether they will change the level of acuity or types of care offered.
In most industries, spatial design significantly impacts workflow and points of contact. Similar to inpatient facility design, waiting areas will likely be reimagined to decentralize patient interaction. To mitigate infection control concerns, a renewed emphasis on efficiency and expediency of patient-provider interaction will be an ongoing priority. Spaces will need to be flexible enough to expand and contract at a moment’s notice – accommodating surge demands, as well as acute care or isolation demands, if required.
Before 2020, interior sliding doors were already becoming a common fixture in outpatient spaces. As we predict what the future of outpatient clinic design will look like, the following factors resonate:
Reduced points of person-to-person contact
In recent years, many contemporary outpatient clinics worked with AD Systems to incorporate interior sliding door system design features that allow for self-rooming. With infection control top of mind, the efficient design of these clinics limits the amount of time an occupant spends in a waiting area before moving to a private exam room. These outpatient clinics are already poised to accommodate additional touchless features like digital check-in and rapid movement of the occupant. Minimizing contact during arrival, patient-provider interaction and exit experience will be crucial. Thoughtfully designed clinics with standardized and flexible spaces are also well-equipped to introduce more efficient cleaning procedures between patient visits.
Touchless solutions become a mainstay
Inpatient healthcare frequently deploys touchless technology for convenience, accessibility and infection control. Installing touchless automatic operating doors in frequently contacted areas of outpatient clinics such as restrooms, medication rooms, supply rooms and other areas are all opportunities to further reduce non-essential contact. This is a trend we’ve seen take off at AD Systems with the introduction and adoption of our automatic interior sliding door system, which offers hands-free access.
Increased demand for isolation spaces
To further reduce non-essential contact, it’s expected that healthcare facilities will look to increase compartmentalization. When creating or retrofitting these spaces, easy-to-install automatic interior sliding door systems and air management systems will be an integral component. Since providers don’t always know if patients with infectious symptoms are present on site, creating or converting spaces that allow for isolation and the associated air handling requirements may become necessary in outpatient locations.
Swift adoption of telehealth
Tech-assisted healthcare was already gaining traction prior to 2020, and the increased need for infection control drove a rapid uptick in adoption. Online scheduling, appointment check-in by phone and digital documentation will be increasingly deployed not only for convenience, but also infection management.
Many patients who experienced their first virtual healthcare visits during 2020 are likely to appreciate the speed, cost and convenience of telehealth. Positive patient feedback will encourage healthcare facility designers to consider new approaches for how and where to retrofit spaces for the delivery of telemedicine, and what those areas may look like. Telehealth provider spaces are likely to be small, with a strong emphasis on acoustics, making them a prime candidate for the use of interior sliding doors.
As facility designers and healthcare providers consider how to build the most effective spaces for patient care and infection control, we look forward to learning more from their experience, leadership and best practices.
