Eyecing
10-23-2006, 01:02 PM
Hello~
Our office is about to expand and redecorate. :D It's my responsibility to research our options and provide the owner with a few design ideas that would work best for us.
Right now there is a full wall and locked door between our optical department and patient waiting room. I have gone into other offices to see how their layouts work, and our current design is definitely in the minority.
All of my research shows that the optical dispensing area should be easily viewable and accessible from the patient waiting area. I certainly see the sense in this, but I do have concerns about the possible ill effects of an "open" design.
We see a lot of young children in our practice, as well as patients who bring their children or grandchildren in with them for their visits. Saying that not all of these children are perfectly behaved would be an understatement.
When we have several children in the dispensary, we are rarely able to make it through the visit without at least one broken frame, one or two missing frames and a couple of broken frame board fittings. Because we are a small practice with a small staff, it's not always possible to provide a "babysitter" to the dispensary while an optician is working with a patient. We also have a problem with "disappearing" frames, even when an optician is in the dispensary assisting the patient, especially when a patient brings in friends or family members for "moral support" in the selection of a frame. We want our patients to feel comfotable in our dispensary- but the optician must focus on the patient and the patient's friends always seem bent upon trying on every frame in the dispensary (and, apparently, pocketing a few frames while they're at it) once they're inside. Right now, we allow as many visitors as the patient wants (within reason) and we don't charge the patient any extra amounts for frames and/or board fittings that are broken by their children
I've looked into wall-mounted rod-style frame "boards" which can be locked to prevent patients from removing frames without assistance, but doesn't this option strongly detract from the "open" dispensary? It seems to me that one of the major benefits of an open dispensary would be its allowance of patients/customers to browse frames and try them on prior to their examination. If the boards are locked, the patients can't try a frame without an optician present. Of course, before the optician has a new patient's prescription in hand, it's impossible for them to effectively assist the patient in selecting a frame that will meet the patient's prescription needs as well as having an attractive appearance.
This is the only office I've ever worked in and I'd like to hear the pros and cons of a truly open dispensary from people who work in this kind of environment. Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Our office is about to expand and redecorate. :D It's my responsibility to research our options and provide the owner with a few design ideas that would work best for us.
Right now there is a full wall and locked door between our optical department and patient waiting room. I have gone into other offices to see how their layouts work, and our current design is definitely in the minority.
All of my research shows that the optical dispensing area should be easily viewable and accessible from the patient waiting area. I certainly see the sense in this, but I do have concerns about the possible ill effects of an "open" design.
We see a lot of young children in our practice, as well as patients who bring their children or grandchildren in with them for their visits. Saying that not all of these children are perfectly behaved would be an understatement.
When we have several children in the dispensary, we are rarely able to make it through the visit without at least one broken frame, one or two missing frames and a couple of broken frame board fittings. Because we are a small practice with a small staff, it's not always possible to provide a "babysitter" to the dispensary while an optician is working with a patient. We also have a problem with "disappearing" frames, even when an optician is in the dispensary assisting the patient, especially when a patient brings in friends or family members for "moral support" in the selection of a frame. We want our patients to feel comfotable in our dispensary- but the optician must focus on the patient and the patient's friends always seem bent upon trying on every frame in the dispensary (and, apparently, pocketing a few frames while they're at it) once they're inside. Right now, we allow as many visitors as the patient wants (within reason) and we don't charge the patient any extra amounts for frames and/or board fittings that are broken by their children
I've looked into wall-mounted rod-style frame "boards" which can be locked to prevent patients from removing frames without assistance, but doesn't this option strongly detract from the "open" dispensary? It seems to me that one of the major benefits of an open dispensary would be its allowance of patients/customers to browse frames and try them on prior to their examination. If the boards are locked, the patients can't try a frame without an optician present. Of course, before the optician has a new patient's prescription in hand, it's impossible for them to effectively assist the patient in selecting a frame that will meet the patient's prescription needs as well as having an attractive appearance.
This is the only office I've ever worked in and I'd like to hear the pros and cons of a truly open dispensary from people who work in this kind of environment. Any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks in advance.