Managing Your Dermatology Practice: Visit Your Office

Every year around now, as spring reawakens the outdoors, I like to take a tour of my office from the paradigm of a patient visiting for the first time, because more often than not, the indoors could use a bit of a revival as well.

We tend not to notice gradual deterioration in the environment we inhabit every day: Carpets fade and become dull with constant traffic and cleaning; wallpaper and paint accumulate dirt, stains, and damage; furniture gets dirty and dented; fabric rips; and hardware goes missing.

When did you last take a good look at your waiting room? Have your patients been snacking and spilling drinks, despite the signs begging them not to? Is the wallpaper smudged on the walls behind chairs where patients rest their heads? How is the carpeting and upholstery holding up?

Even if you don’t find anything obvious, it’s wise to check periodically for subtle evidence of age: Find some patches of protected carpeting and flooring – under desks, for example – and compare them to exposed floors.

And look at the décor itself – is it dated or just plain "old-looking?" Any interior designer will tell you they can determine quite accurately when a space was last decorated, simply by the color and style of the materials used. If your office is stuck in the ’90s, it’s probably time for a change.

Many patients assume that doctors who don’t keep up with technological innovations don’t keep up with anything else, either.

If you’re planning a vacation this summer (and I hope you are), that would be the perfect time for a redo. Your patients will be spared the dust and turmoil, tradespeople won’t have to work around your office hours, and you won’t have to cancel any hours that weren’t already canceled. Best of all, you’ll come back to a clean, fresh environment.

Start by reviewing your color scheme. If it’s hopelessly out of date and style, or if you are just tired of it, change it. Wallpaper and carpeting should be long-wearing industrial quality, paint should be high-quality "eggshell" finish to facilitate cleaning, and everything should be professionally applied. This is neither the time nor place for do-it-yourself experiments.

If your wall decorations have accumulated a few millimeters of dust, now would be a good time to replace at least some of them. This need not be an expensive proposition. If you or a family member is an artist or photographer, consider framing some of the best work. Or invite local artists or talented patients to display some of their creations on your walls.

Plants are great aesthetic accents and excellent stress reducers for apprehensive patients, yet many offices have little or no plant life. If you are hesitant to take on the extra work of plant upkeep, consider using one of the many corporate plant services that "rent" plants, keep them healthy, and replace them as necessary.

Furniture is another important consideration. You may be able to resurface and reupholster what you have now, but if not, shop carefully. Beware of non-medical products promoted specifically to physicians, as they tend to be overpriced. If you shop online, remember to factor in shipping costs, which can be considerable for furniture. Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts. You won’t get them if you don’t ask.

Consider joining your state or community business/industry association. Such organizations maintain a list of merchants willing to give discounts, and you may identify other member-businesses looking to acquire similar furniture or equipment, which could land all parties a significant quantity discount.

This is also a good time to clear out old textbooks, magazines, and files that you will never open again. And get your building maintenance crew to fix any nagging plumbing, electrical, or heating/air conditioning problems while pipes, ducts, and wires are more readily accessible.

Finally, spruce-up time is an excellent opportunity to inventory medical equipment. We’ve all seen "vintage" offices full of gadgets that were state-of-the-art decades ago. Nostalgia is nice, but would you want to be treated by a physician whose office could be moved straight to the Smithsonian, unaltered, as "Doctor’s Office Circa 1975?" Neither would your patients, for the most part. Many patients, particularly younger ones, assume that doctors who don’t keep up with technological innovations don’t keep up with anything else, either.