ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to assess their facilities as to how they support the purpose and needs of the practice and the patients. Facilities are both the public face of their practice as well as their “factory floor”—the place where physicians do their work. By and large, medical practices do not need specialized facilities other than for imaging facilities and clinical laboratories. Offices need to be designed to balance the needs of patients with the needs of the physicians. Physicians need to have quick access between exam rooms and to their staff, and patients need short walking distances, handicap access, and privacy. To a patient, the appearance and layout of the office does have an effect on patient care, and practices need to recognize this and address the patient’s perceived need.
