CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST123 SURGERY DESIGN & FITOUTS and wishes and those of your key sta into a comprehensive design brief that fully captures the intent of your new practice. Whether conducted in person or over the phone, these discussions give you an opportunity to tell the designer how you work, the particular equipment you require, your patient demographic and any speci c themes or feeling you’d like to convey in your new practice. Most importantly, your designer will come to know and understand your personality and values and communicate these in the design concept. e design brief is the cornerstone of the new development, informing all design decisions for the project. Getting it right is a crucial rst step towards a good practice design. With a completed design brief, your practice designer will have a clear understanding of your intent for your new practice. ey will now be able to translate the information into design concepts that address each element of the brief in a manner congruent with your vision. e designer will also accommodate any compliance requirements you may not be aware of and incorporate these into the design. Compliance requirements may be related to parking bays, infection control, disabled access, accreditation, plumbing, electrical and a range of other statutory obligations. Operational e ciency (the function in form follows function) is paramount in your treatment areas and the way you work will in uence how your treatment rooms are planned. Specialist equipment must be allowed for and built in to the design of the room. Working space requirements and ready access to equipment are all factors your designer will take into account when planning your treatment rooms. Perhaps you like to take notes or need to access a computer while treating a patient – your designer can allow for this and design your treatment areas accordingly. In the next stage of the design process, your designer will create a oorplan showing the location and dimensions of all relevant equipment, doors, windows and provide you with an overview of the operational ow of the new practice. On the oorplan, you will be able to see clearly the di erent sections for patients and sta and you can see the interaction of the various spaces. Once the oorplan has been nalised, any necessary council approvals applications are submitted. A sneak preview ree dimensional renders of the new practice can give you an excellent preview of what the space will look like once completed. Your designer should be able to provide you with initial renders of the design at this stage so you can get a feel for the nal result before the practice is built. Textures, colours and furniture selection are vital in creating an atmosphere to put your patients at ease, to make them feel comfortable in your environment. ere is an enormous range of fabrics, styles and colour options to choose from, and the choices can be overwhelming. Durability and ease of care are also factors that in uence decisions on the types and styles of your furnishings. Your designer should be abreast of the latest developments and provide options that suit your requirements and create the ambience you want for your patients. Samples of the fabrics, textures and colours will give you a chance to get a “hands on” impression. Your reception and waiting areas are often your patients rst impression of your operation and it’s important to make it a good one. ese areas may be where your patients spend most of their time at your practice and putting them at ease and providing a comfortable environment is vital. Your patient’s positive experience shouldn’t stop once they leave the comfort of the waiting room and enter the treatment areas and the designer should create a level of continuity between the two areas and provide a sense of ow so your patients don’t feel disorientated moving from one area to the next. The construction phase Once the design has been nalised, your new practice enters the construction phase. Whether you are completing a ground up build or a renovation of an existing building, specialist project management skills are essential to e ectively coordinate the required tradespeople and service providers and keep your project on track. Many dental specialists, particularly those that choose to manage their own builds or t outs, underestimate the time involved in managing a construction project. Experienced construction project managers are highly skilled time managers and are able to drive your project through to completion while maintaining open lines of communication. It is in this phase of the development that the bene ts of dealing with a single company becomes strikingly clear as the project manager is able to confer with the designer and address any issues as they arise. Once construction is complete, your practice is ready for handover. Your practice handover should include complete and comprehensive documentation of the building process and all equipment installations and associated documentation. Your new practice is now open for operation, delivering your unique brand of patient care and providing you and your sta with the best possible working environment. Designing and building a new practice is a signi cant undertaking. By engaging the services of specialists, it can also be immensely rewarding for you, your sta and your patients. u Sam Koranis is Managing Director of Medifit Design & Construct. Medifit o ers comprehensive practice design and construction services to dental specialists throughout Australia.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTc3NDk3Mw==