Infectious disease amounts to a larger fraction of any Family Practice or Pediatric office as it is in an Internal Medicine ID practice. Emergency Rooms pose a similar challenge, mixing other medical and surgical patients with the unwanted exposure to transmissible infections. Historically a fact of life, today’s pandemic experience suggests a major medical clinic redesign with separate waiting rooms and separate examining rooms, two wings with isolation procedures between.
Looking at this architectural challenge from a private office small clinic perspective, the added cost must be offset by a broader and safer patient care and service. It may require separate IM from ID nursing, but doing so may both increase capacity and quality of care. Expect a higher laundry bill with a wash/changing room for gown and mask between suites. Experience presented many space utilization lessons during a varied medical career and architecture remains a first and neglected love. Patient flow and space utilization can offset the additional costs of design. Design and plan for circulation, plenty of room and patient safety, but make sure every square foot and every employee more than pays for itself.
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