No, it's not just you. I once had a doctor who dressed more relaxed - he'd wear chinos, a nice but casual shirt - many times wouldn't have his lab coat on, etc. and that always put me at ease. I think it put him more on my level. His partners made fun of him, they wore $500 shoes and fancy, expensive ties, etc. and always had their lab coats on. My doctor was so down to earth and I could always talk to him. I was so sad when he moved out of town.

tina

The smallest things can make a difference. I used to go to an OB-GYN practice who only had baby and pregnancy magazines in the waiting room. That always felt so insensitive to me because I'm sure there were patients who were there to deal with infertility, menopause, ovarian cysts, etc., not to mention the many men who came with their wives and who might have appreciated at least a token copy of Sports Illustrated.

On the flip side, one of my oncologists had tropical fish tanks in his waiting room. How soothing it was to stare at the fish when your mind was in turmoil.

Absolutely, nancybee.

Supportive color and design strategies for the built environment is an art - and a science.

Faber Birren advocated and advised on how to use color to make industry more productive, factories more safe.

Rudolph and Frank Mahnke share the same philosophies as Birren about physio-psychological effects of color and the importance of supportive, purposeful use of color in the built environment. Several of their books are standard texts in schools of architecture and design across the county.

tina, you are right about dr's dressing in more relaxed clothing. Sometimes clothing can be intimidating, just like this office was.

Fun2Bhere, I agree with you about the magazines showing how sensitive they are to the people waiting there. This place only had medical "magazines", probably left by drug salesmen.

funcolors, I think the people who designed this place should have consulted the books you mentioned! The colors were very muted and there were a lot of hard, shiny surfaces and glass.

nancy_bee: What you describe sounds just like my kids' orthodontist office. Between all three kids we've been seeing him for years and a few years back he relocated his office to another building and did a customized remodel with plans plastered all over the existing office for a year before. It has a very zen-like feeling to it. All in shades of grey, black, purple and natural stone with artistic lighting. There are few angles and a very open concept for the front reception area as well as the treatment area in the back. A flat screen is mounted on the wall, often with new age ocean scenes showing on it. I wouldn't be surprised if he had consulted with a firm like funcolors mentioned but, to me, it just drove home the point how much money he is making from all his clients and seemed excessive.

I think the enviroment can have an effect definitely, but the effect of decor and dress as a whole can have different and opposite effects on people

I work in dental practices which is a bit different, because many people don't think of them as "real docrors" although they regularly inject drugs and provide hands on care which your primary physician may never do...but I digress.

Both through conversation and through online sites such as Yelp and other "review or "grading sites--which are skewed more toward people who have axes to grind, but still have complimentary reviews, I have read the following:

" Dr. __'s office looks like the last time it was remodeled was in the 1950s, I am not going back because if his office is so run down he can't be a very successful Dr.
vs:
" I feel so comfortable with Dr____. He did not make radical changes to the office when he took over from Dr. A., and that made me feel very comfortable. I did not feel like his fees were going to be raised to pay for a fancy new office.
(Both the same practice

"No dental practice I have ever been in before had an oriental rug and fresh flowers in the waiting room. Ridiculous! I knew his fees would be too high and he would recommend all this unnecessry work when I saw that! I am not going back!"
vs.
I felt like I was in good hand because the office is very nice and up to date, and the waiting room was comfortable, with nice chairs and a rug, flowers and a TV.
(Same office)

Dr. B's practice is busy and efficient with friendly support staff.
vs.
Dr. B's offic is too big and impersonal. Its like a mill. She is like the Ugly Stepmother bossing around a bunch of ugly stepdaughters. Or maybe its like a slave plantation.

This last one was particularly hostile, but I remember the ugly stepmother comment and the slave thing because it was so unnecessary.

The reality of this last practice is that *most people think she is more skilled than she is because it is a large, busy, state of the art, decently decorated practice, where as the Dr. in the "run down" office is really a much better clinician.

I just returned from the dentist's office where the office dog sat on my lap for part of the time I was in the chair. I love this place - others might be appalled.

You should see my dentist's office. It was all done (by his wife) in an Asian style. The walls are red, the sink and toilet in the bathroom are black and there is an overabundance of art and stuff, that is rotated in and out of the office. They always have a small table by the front desk with cookies, and for a while would give you a rose after every visit. It all sounds pretty weird, but I love going there. I always play the "what have they changed since my last visit" game. They have little zen gardens and fountains outside the exam rooms, so that you have something pleasant to look at through the window while sitting in the chair. But the best part is that they give you a warm neck wrap, and the option of a paraffin wax hand treatment while having your exam/dental cleaning. They also clean my rings for me in the ultrasonic machine.

valinsv, that does seem excessive. It sounds more like a laser tag place than an orthodontist's office!

pal- maybe more middle of the road would be best!

graywings- I would love it if my dentist had a dog in the office. That's great.

terriks- wow! That might make going to the dentist almost enjoyable, although not as much as laughing gas does!

I think all of these extravagantly decorated offices are kind of a new thing. I think that not that long ago, medical and dental office waiting rooms were just chairs along the walls, a few pictures, some magazines, and maybe an aquarium.

I'm totally there with you, Nancybee! We actually stopped going to an opthamologist because his office decor was so awful it made DD and I depressed every time we went. Dark, rough board wall paneling everywhere! In the waiting room and in all exam rooms. The doc was an avid, amateur woodworker and had lots of (tacky) woodworking pieces of art on the walls. Depressing lighting and cheap, uncomfortable chairs with a brown on brown on brown wood theme made for one ugly, depressing place!

I did the interior design for my DH's medical clinic and, let me tell you, I put a lot of thought and hard work into it make it warm and inviting. You have to or, like many of you have already mentioned here, it can make a medical or dental visit actually uncomfortable . . . or more uncomfortable, depending on why you're there in the first place. Decor in these offices should be just the opposite.

In our clinic, the colors are rich and warm, but somewhat muted in order to sooth. The waiting room chairs are upholstered and actually very comfortable to sit in. There are good reading lamps on the tables, to turn on whenever needed, as well as good overhead lighting. The windows in there are large with a wonderful mountain view, but are glazed to keep out the heat, brightness and for privacy. This is the clinic waiting room; windows in the exam rooms are long and at the ceiling for complete privacy, of course.

We make sure that the magazines are up to date and have subscriptions for everyone. Older issues are regularly thrown out. Drug reps do occasionally send or drop off mags, but if they're medically oriented or slanted, they are not allowed in our clinic.

With lighting, you walk a fine line between harsh/too bright in order for the staff to see the medical issue they're dealing with and too soft, trying for a warm, cozy ambiance but verging on gloomy. I think we got it right, but you have to really work to get the correct balance.

I wanted artwork in the clinic to stay far away from ostentatiousness, which only works well in a Beverly Hills or Park Avenue plastic surgery office, IMO (LOL).

Instead, I went looking for artwork that just made people feel good when looking at it. . . and that wouldn't get old quickly! I found what I was looking for with wildlife photographs that made you feel like you are looking out a window at peaceful, beautiful views from nature. BUT, I stayed away from anything snowy or cold looking. That's the last thing you need while sitting in an exam room in a gown (LOL)! Most of the art work in the clinic are large, wonderfully framed photographs from wildlife photographer, Phil Sonier. We love his beautiful scenic pieces as well as his Westerns, horses, bird and animal pieces.
Here's a link to Phil's website if anyone wants to check out some seriously gorgeous photographs. Take a look in his gallery under Wildlife/Wolves, at #WL39 /"Watcher in the Woods". I think many of you will recognize it. I own one and it's one of my favs of his.
"Phil Sonier's photographs"

(BTW, I'm not affiliated with this artist, other than collecting his pieces. I just thought some of you might enjoy seeing some really great nature photographs)
Lynn

I'm anxiously reading all the posts here because there's always room for improvement and I'm hoping to find some ideas here in your posts.
As for lab coats vs no lab coats, my DH chooses not to wear one, but I personally wish he would. It would just be easier to wash and iron lab coats than to try and get out the random spots on his dress shirts.

How timely this thread is!

I just went to a chiropractor for the first time, and was so impressed by his office, because it managed to be hip (brown leather chairs in the waiting room, gorgeous wall colors, downtempo music, etc) and cozy (delicious tea with real mugs, friendly staff, and warm temperatures in the waiting room and exam room). I felt like I was in a spa.

Now, if only they had those hand treatments mentioned earlier...

Since I'm in a small town close to the City, my family practitioner still has the 80's wallpaper border in his office. lol. But it feels comfy. The doctor's wives decorated the offices in a mild country style.

But when I have to see a specialist in the City, I want to leave IMMEDIATELY. So very cold.

The women's hospital in the City is wonderful. Decorated in pinks and greens.

lynne, you obviously put a lot of thought into your husband's office decor. It sounds perfect! The opthalmologist's office sounds horrible. He seems kind of clueless.

xantippe, sounds like your chiropractor got it just right. The right music is a nice touch. The music at the place today was this very serious sounding classical music. Kind of made it worse.

oakley, the office of the specialist in the city must be a lot like the office I went to today. Just so cold. Really, I couldn't wait to get out of there.

At one GYN office I used to go to, every single piece of artwork was a mother with a child. Yes, yes, you deliver babies but does that mean all your cheap looking prints have to be directly linked to that? And the color scheme was mauve and who-knows-what with flowered borders. In the waiting room, the office area, in each exam room. It was just awful. But I liked the doctor and it was only once a year so it was no big deal. When that doctor left the practice, so did I so I don't know if they ever updated. I guess my new doctor did a good job on her decor because I can't even tell you what it is.

When I first moved into this neighborhood, one of the neighbors was a dentist. Every room of their house was wallpapered in paper that looked like it should be in a dental office, not a home. I wondered: did they have extra after an office remodel? Did they order it with the practice paper and wrote it off as a business expense? Did he want to be reminded of the office in his off hours?

Clearly, based on some of the other posts, it's a fine line to walk in decorating an office. Since you can't please everyone, the staff, who spends the most time there, should be comfortable.

My chiro has a tiny waiting room, but he's got loads of geodes, crystals and other geological goodies out there for people to see, touch and ask about. His office is nicely appointed, not ostentatious and the receptionist has nice plants and other nature related things out on the counter.

The clinic I go to was recently reno'd and it's simple contemporary, nothing overwhelming but nothing too cozy either, but my clinician is always without a lab coat. He's so much more relatable that way. The nurses are all dressed in really cute scrubs, not your typical scrubs...I don't know where they get them, but they're cute enough to look like they could wear them outside work. And fortunately they keep the rooms and the waiting areas stocked with CURRENT issues of popular magazines.

There used to be an atrium in the center of the building (it's built in a circle) that had bird houses, birdbaths and even some rabbits. It was very soothing to watch the critters and enjoy the plants, but they eventually got rid of that because it was too hard to keep up with it. But I sure enjoyed that a lot.

I did have a dentist who had trees and birdfeeders outside the windows of each room. That was always fun and a nice way to distract you.

I have to tell you all, this thread has been great for me to read . . . and it's been great conversation fodder at dinner this evening, too! I'm really enjoying all of your ideas and opinions . . . and shaking my head at some of the offices mentioned here.

Nancybee, thank you! I tried very hard to see the clinic from a patient and from an employee's standpoint (both of which I've been many times myself). So far, everyone seems happy with it. Lots of comps and no complaints yet.
Fun2BHere: I had to deal with major infertility issues for
many years before I got pregnant with DD. I can still remember that it was like a sucker punch to the gut seeing all the baby/mommy stuff in my (former) OB/GYN's office. Those docs need to remember that the GYN part of their practice envolves many infertility issues. I'm going to bring that up to the ones we know. Very good point!

Funclors: I've read many studies on the psychological effects of color in various rooms, circumstances, etc. It's an extremely fascinating subject, don't you think?

Graywings: what a novel idea, having an office dog! As a huge dog lover myself, I'd love it. I just wonder how they deal with patients who have dog allergies. Gosh, I'd hate to be allergic to dogs!

Terriks: I love my own long-time dentist but, OMG, I would love, love, love it if he had an office like yours!!!! I told my DH about it at dinner this evening and he called it "a very touchy-feely kind of office" and said that it must be somewhere in California . . . but one (he admitted) that he'd enjoy himself (LOL!). I don't think I could talk him into that kind of thing at his office, though. Still, his patients and staff call him a modern-day Dr. Marcus Welby. To him, that's the ultimate compliment.

Xantippe: that sounds like such a nice ambiance. I can see why you like it. I would, too!

Oakley, too bad about that city specialist. I can never understand why these docs don't spend the money and hire a decorator who specializes in medical office interior design?!?

Hhireno: I'm still laughing about your comment about the office wallpaper in the doc's home. You're probably right ;^D (Yuk!)

Lynn

My biggest issue with waiting rooms is spending too much time in them. If the dr shows a propensity for wasting the patient's time every time or excessively, then I move on. They could call if they are running an hour late or even a half hour to give the patient notice to adjust their arrival. They have my cell phone and contact info.

I'd like something comfortable to sit on and a clean bathroom. Anything else is not necessary.
I don't like offices that are kept very cold with the staff wearing layers while the patients are in skimpy gowns.

If that woodworking opthamologist was a good dr, I'd have happily gone there forever. I do not judge a dr by his decor sense. He actually sounds like a sweet guy. Sometimes the most brilliant people dress funny or have few social skills. I'd judge him on his talent as an opthamologist and his courtesy to his patients.

At one point, we went to a dental practice that was state of the art and had lovely decor. You can see they drop big money on it. I got the feeling that while they were good dentists, that they went to seminars and tropical vacations where they learned how to get the most money out of their patients and not about how to provide the best care. I have no doubt our teeth would have been well taken care of, but I also have no doubt they were going to push as much "care" on us as they could get away with charging us and our insurance company for. When we moved a few miles away, we changed dentists. Our new guy has decor from the 70s at best and yet is always willing to explain things to us, does not keep us waiting long and seems to genuinely care. We do not miss the fancy decor because we go to the dentist for dental care.
My OB/GYN left the previous practice and I followed him over. His new place is fancier but that is irrelevant as his level of care is still great and that is my yardstick.
I do look for a place to be neat and hygenic, but am not overly impressed with flash. One of my earliest jobs, while still in high school, was as a dental assistant for an older dentist in a very un-flashy office. I saw the care he took in sterilizing things and how whenever he was not with a patient, he was reading dental journals and keeping up with progress. His office was just on the good side before becoming run down, yet his skills were quite sharp. He had little personality and charm, yet he cared about his patients and it showed.

In the posts above, I see a lot of references to the wives and how their decorated their spouses offices. That is well and good, but I do not hold it against someone who does not have a decorating minded wife.

Lab coats don't really bother me or surgical wear. But most of the doctors are now into casual dress. Actually I get diverted with the docs who have no clue on dress and show up in bad suit/tie collections.

The worse experience I had was at the GI office. My daughter was with me and all the patients were waiting far beyond their appt time. The chairs in the waiting office and later in the room were so darn hard I couldn't have put up with them without pain. We have joked about this more than once....you would think a GI doc would do something about comfort for his back side patients.

We opened our physical therapy office last Monday and all I can say is 'Holy wow!'. Remember I posted awhile back about the colors that the interior decorater chose?

Walls BM Manchester Tan
Trim: SW Gauntlet Gray
Accent Walls: SW Connected Gray

We weren't sure if it might be dark and gloomy, too masculine or something?

Well everyone from the marketing team to the patients to people just stopping by to check it out have all commented on how relaxing, warm, inviting and NOT like a physical therapy, doctor's office would look. It has stone walls and one of them has the original dutch door in it still.

The atmosphere is so unlike anything that I've ever encountered in a place where you might experience some pain or discomfort. People really seem to notice and are commenting about 'the feel'.

So yes - I totally agree about the psychological effect.

The two office dogs are Havanese, a breed claimed to be hypoallergenic.

Once when out of town, I had to see a dentist. They had an office dog, curled up in a chair in the waiting room. They asked if the dog bothered me and I said no. I am allergic but I was more focused on my pain, I wasn't there long, it wasn't sitting on me, and I had no intention of touching it. It was a pleasant distraction to see the dog stretch and re-curl up on the chair. I heard a new employee-in-training ask "what do we do if it bothers them?" The answer was to make the dog sit back there with the staff.

I guess if you're really allergic to animals you just can't stay with those kinds of practices.

Studies show doctor's ties carry all sorts of germs so a more casually dressed look might be cleaner. When I worked at the hospital, I saw lab coats that were so filthy they could stand on their own so wearing one isn't always the best option either. Like most things, it comes down to the wearer and their level of cleanliness.

Regarding wait times, getting annoyed or upset depends on the situation. I've never had a doctor with a chronic problem but if I did I might find another practice. At my DH's oncologist, they are often a little off-schedule but on our very first visit there, they were squeezing us in as an emergency. If we are kept waiting now I usually think some other family is being squeezed in to possibly find out some very bad news. I bring a book and a bottle of water and we both think about how lucky we were with our outcome.

Being that this is a decorating forum, and most of us are here because we have a real interest in decorating ~ or even a real passion for it, like myself ~ I love being able to chat with other like-minded gals and guys about the many aspects of design. From ideas on how someone might solve a decorating dilemma in their home to threads like this where we talk about what we like and don't like about medical office interiors. I always find it fun, interesting and, many times, come away with some new idea to try.
Isn't it great to be able to come here, where we have this chance to exchange ideas and chat about something we love? Thanks GW!
Lynn

ttodd - we want to see the end result! I'm moved into my office now, but am still tweaking. I promise I'll show mine if you show yours!

Lynn, you can tell your DH that my dentist is not in California, but in a small city in Oregon. I don't know whose idea the hand treatments and warm neck wraps were, the dentist's or the hygienist's or the dentist's wife's, but it really doesn't cost them much. They use the same vat of paraffin for every patient, (after we wash and sanitize our hands), then place our hands in disposable plastic covers under thick terry cloth mitts. The neck wraps also go into disposable covers. And yes, I do actually look forward to getting my teeth cleaned there. One time I had an appointment on a Monday, right after I finished tiling and grouting my backsplash with dark brown grout that had gotten under my fingernails. That hand treatment really worked wonders on my battered hands!

Terriks, I'll tell him. And please tell your dentist next time you go that I think his special, thoughtful ways to help his patients relax more and even enjoy their dental visits are wonderful. I am so impressed . . . and envious! Before I found my current dentist, I was one of those people who was (very) stressed out every time I had to go to the dentist, even for my 6-month teeth cleaning. That your dentist makes the effort to destress his patients in such unique ways tell me, not that he's trying to put-on-the-dog with his patients, but that he really cares about them.
Please ask him if he wants to open another office in New Mexico, will you?
Lynn

This is an interesting topic and timely for me, as I just spent the morning in the waiting room of an outpatient surgery practice (ortho) while my kiddo got 2 screws put in her busted thumb. It was professionally decorated in greige with subtle pops (maybe more like a burble) of brown, taupe and rusty red. Very bland and boring, but the chairs were comfy, the windows were large and the mags were plentiful and varied. The ever present TV was set to HGTV, and, as a person who has never had cable TV, it was interesting to see a few of those shows, but after an hour, I moved so I didn't have to look at it. Overall, I really dislike TV in a waiting room, I think it increases anxiety levels.

My gyn just relocated her office and I absolutely hate it, it looks like a freaking spa, all saturated, dusky colors, greige carpet 2" thick, very plush chairs that aren't that comfy, heavy drapes, no windows and large, ornately framed prints of flowers that resemble vaginas. To me it screams "See what those co pays buy???". Her old office was small and homey, with a cheap Oriental rug and a couple of pleather chairs. She has hit the big time and I am considering looking for another doc, I don't want to be part of a practice that looks like it only caters to ladies who lunch. It's too bad, cuz I like her as a doc, but she got married (to another doc) and all of a sudden she's got a new office, tons of "important" jewelery, is about a size 0, lectures mercilessly about exercise and how she spends 2 hours a day in her home gym (hello, not all of us have a home gym)and is, frankly, rapidly moving out of my orbit and comfort zone. Years ago I worked at a place that had an on site day care that reported to me, and we had a great employer who really wanted to lavish care on the kids of the staff. We had a very experienced and wise director who put the brakes on a lot of the fancy stuff our owner wanted to put in, like a really, really fancy kitchen with Sub Zero fridge (I had never heard of the brand back then),"living room" type of room with these cool leather couches and plush carpet that he saw, funky lighting, round cribs (I kid you not), etc. The director politely said she's prefer lino on the floors, appliances from Sears, basic couch, etc. because she explicitly did not want the day care to be the nicest place the lower paid workers (it was manufacturing) had ever seen, they won't bring their kids here she said, they won't feel comfortable bringing them home to a trailer or sitting down with me to discuss their kids care, progress or problems. She got her way.

I feel the same way about my doc, I am a comfy middle/upper middle class person and my gyn's office makes me feel, I dunno, like I'm in some elite club that I had to join, which is why I am strongly considering changing docs.

sandyponder

I forgot about my dentist office. It's gorgeous! They built a building that looks like a one story home, single practice. His wife decorated in what I call "elegant country."

I can tell she bought the curtains from Country Curtains. They also installed beautiful wood floors. Really nice place.

I had the misfortune to have to visit a proctologist as the result of a rather extreme side efffect from a medication, and it was really the strangest office I had ever been in. The office was done in the early 80s so it was very disco-modern with brass etc., but the color scheme was somewhere between peach and mauve (a flesh tone of sorts) and the rugs had that spotted grid pattern, but the spots were...light brown and the walls had light brown sponge painting on them. It looked just like someone had had some kind of horrendous accident in there. And there were dozens of pieces of art all featuring naked rear ends. It was all very depressing.

OMG, Palimpset, what a nightmare of an office. That doc truly has a weird sense of humor! I wouldn't like that at all.

Interesting comment made about TVs in medical offices. We don't have one, but I've occasionally been in ones that do. I think they can be counter-productive, as you then can have patients becoming involved in what is currently showing and reluctant to leave it . . . or conflicted about what station is on.
I also agree that they can add stress. At my last hair salon, they had a tv tuned into soaps all afternoon. It drove me crazy listening to that stuff and I finally ended up changing hairdressers because of it. Not a medical office, but the chances for conflicts and tv-generated stress are the same regardless, I think.
Lynn

Oh my, Pal, that is a disturbing story. I wonder if you were more in tune to the decor than the average patient since you are both a designer and a medical professional?

On the subject of TV's in waiting rooms--the answer is don't do it! I have had to spend a lot of time in the waiting room of our Kaiser urgent care clinic lately, and the TV is always so loud, and always turned to some depressing news channel. In urgent care, the odds are pretty good that the patients are in pain or sick, and their caregivers are probably pretty tired, so who wants to listen to loud awful news? It drives me crazy!

Other than that, I think our Kaiser clinic does a decent job with its decor (for a huge company, anyway). At my location, they use colors on the walls (which is so much nicer than white), and usually have a few decent magazines. There are enough chairs, and enough room that patients don't feel as though they are "on top of" one another. I really don't expect more than that.

This thread was again the topic for discussion at dinner last night.
Pal: DG totally agreed with your take on the bizarreness of that office.
I mentioned the tv discussion and he said he agreed with everyone, tv's are not good in most waiting rooms, including his.

We talked about dogs in the office workplace and laughed the time he was watching our little 11-pound Tibetan Spaniel, Chloe, in his office at the clinic for me. He was in an exam room for ten minutes while Chloe got loose and wandered all over the clinic visiting patients before the staff noticed her. The patients and staff loved her, but that won't be repeated anytime soon(LOL).

I do have to mention one thing, though, that makes me kind of sad, and I hope I don't offend anyone. I'm not angry at anyone, but I do need to get something off my chest. The number of mentions on estimations of how much a physician's clothes or shoes cost made me a bit sad. I've worked in medicine, mainly in hospitals but in many offices as well, since I was 18 y/o.

With DH being a physician, I've obviously known many, many other doctors over these many years. So, I can tell you with much experienced authority that there are equally as many wonderful, caring physicians who wear expensive clothes and shoes (and mind you, "expensive" is a relative term and everyone has their own opinion on that one) as there are ones who wear "not expensive" clothing. Please don't judge these good people by what they wear.

I can tell you from 28 3/4 years of being married to a wonderful, extremely hard-working doc, that he honestly and truly cares deeply about his patients and staff. We, his family, do without him a lot, as he puts in long 15-18 hour days so that his patients get what they need. I don't personally know a physician who doesn't put in long hours.

I would hate to think that someone would judge this wonderful man of mine as greedy, or uncaring or selfish or whatever because of the ties or the shirts or the shoes he wears.
There is absolutely no correlation between what a physician chooses to wear and the kind of doc he is . . . except in peoples' minds. . . if they choose to judge others in such a superficial way.

Try to think instead of the 4 years of college where they have to work really hard to get the grades to get into med school. Then all the years in med school and internship and residencies where they work and study incredibly hard up to 20 hours a day, 7 days a week. They accrue a huge, huge amount of student loans paying for all of this, that needs to all be paid back. And is. The long, long hours they put in at their office or hospital . . . and after work keeping up with charting, patient calls, etc.

Please try and judge them instead by what they've done to get them to this point and if they are good, caring physicians, not by what they wear.
Enough said.
Lynn

I agree. I have never heard negative value judgments made about Anyone (that I can remember) except doctors, if they wear good clothing.

lynne -

May take on it is that when a doc redecorates, it means he/she finally paid off the student loans -- it's a time to celebrate!!

(p.s.: this works the same way for lawyers)

Pal, thank you very much for that.

Jakabedy: I agree and for dentists, as well. I didn't mean to leave them out. Shall we say, all can be judged equally superficially? (LOL!)

I completely agree with you about doctors' dress, lynn.

Also agree with you (earlier post) about this being such a nice place to come and "chat" about different aspects of decorating! Unlike at your house, this has not been a topic of conversation at my house. I mentioned that office to my husband at dinner the other night and kind of got a blank look.

It is funny to be to hear an appeal to not judge a doctor by what they wear to the office, yet in the same thread by the same person, doctors are judged as less competent because they have paneling or have not redecorated.

I think a doctor should be dressed neatly in whatever style they are comfortable, yet if they are layered in a lot of bling or obvious high end duds and none of their patients are, then that is less tasteful. I do not care what they wear on their own time and do not begrudge them making money, but if they are dressing in such away as to be noticeable, then they should dial it back. When we go to the doctor, the last thing I am worried about is what they are wearing. I have never noticed a doctor over-dressing personally, but if I had, it would make me less comfortable because it might tell me that their priorities are how they look to the patient more so than the patient's well being. It would not be a conscious thought, but that would be the message. If I saw a doctor tottering on 5" Manolos, I might wonder about her judgement.
I'd also be worried about someone who looked unkempt, or god forbid, unhygienic, so it is not about one direction or the other. A doctor's clothes should be like background music, pleasant but not intrusive.

While we can all appreciate nice decor, I would hate to think that that is how we are judging our medical professionals. I would prefer a place that made the patients feel comfortable but is not overly "slick", but if I did go to the slick place, if they took good care of me or my family and did not seem to overcharge, then I'd have no issue with them spending on decor. Just know that if the decor is too well done, it does raise that question in some people's minds.YMMV.

I don't agree at all that other people aren't judged by their attire, I think everyone is, but even if that's true, not everyone is touching people or seeing them naked, sick, depressed, in pain or otherwise compromised mentally and/or physically like health care professionals do. Additionally, almost everyone sees medical professionals, even the poorest of the poor. Not everyone has a lawyer, banker, accountant, insurance person or florist, but almost everyone goes to a health professional and I guess I expect health professionals to be "accessible", IYKWIM, to people from every socio economic strata, and as in the case of my doc, dripping with diamonds (including a stunner of a cathedral set ring that I'm convinced is going to bust thru the gloves at an inopportune time) does not set the stage for making people feel comfortable IMO. If you are a Park Ave. plastic surgeon, great, bling on, but if you are an ob/gyn in a small rust belt city, think about the message you are sending.

No one is saying health professional don't work hard, no one is saying their educations are cheap, no one is saying they don't care about their patients, I don't hear that at all in this discussion. I can only speak for myself and IMO health professional have an obligation to dress, act and be accessible to their patients and to remember that setting the stage for patient comfort and ease encompasses many things, not just the appearance of the waiting room.

sandyponder

Dianalo, I beg to differ. I did not judge a doctor to be "less competent" because of his office decor. We were ~then~ talking about how office decor can have a psychological effect on people. I said that with this opthamologist, the decor was so depressing and uncomfortable to myself and my daughter that I decided to look elsewhere. Our long-time family eye doc had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly and I was looking for a new one to take my family to. There are many equally good eye docs in our city; my goal was to find one that was not only a good physician, but that I thought we would enjoy for the long-term.

I don't need or seek out high-end or fancy offices, but I do appreciate comfortable ones. This can be achieved with a little or a lot of money as long as they put some thought into it and make their patients' comfort a priority. You have to also keep in mind that physicians and dentists are like everyone else, some really enjoy creating a great atmosphere for their patients,their staff and themselves just as we here enjoy creating a great atmosphere in our homes and our workplaces for our family, our friends and ourselves. Some don't and that's ok, too, as long as it's clean and comfortable. But . . . you give me the choice between a few equally good, well-qualified physicians with a pleasant, caring bedside manners and who all have good staffs and I'll pick the doc whose office I feel is the most welcoming and comfortable.

But, an office that is thoroughly depressing and uncomfortable to me, as this eye doc's was, with the wood everywhere that actually gave me a sliver touching the wall; with dim, gloomy (seriously) lighting; with a lack of enough light to read by; with uncomfortable no-armed plastic chairs, lined up one next to the other so that I was bumping elbows with the person sitting next to me; with too few end tables to give you space between the people and to hold reading lamps; with hardly any magazines and the ones there were old and looked ratty; with a patient bathroom separated from the waiting room only by a thin door that was right between two of the chairs . . . and let's just say that sound carried very well out there, I couldn't help but think that this guy was not very concerned about his patient's comfort!

Was this guy a good doc? Yes, but as I have already stated, there are many other equally good docs in town. And his prices were no lower than the rest. BTW, he dressed very well and was a pleasant person. I didn't judge him by his clothes, his shoes, or that he didn't spend a lot of money with his decor. That is not the issue; lack of patient comfort and apparent unconcern for his patients' comfort was the issue.

It was my call to make and that was my (very detailed) criteria for making it (LOL!).

Now, let us get back to how different interior decor in medical/dental offices can have a psychological effect on people.I find it a very interesting topic!
Lynn

I wonder if the doctor realized why he lost your business. He may not have been the kind of guy to notice the waiting room because he did not use it. I would think that if that was the only thing he did wrong, a word to the wise might have been helpful. It may give him the prod he needs. You don't have to go there yourself, but I'd let someone there know that the waiting room is a turn off and that it is a shame because he is a good doctor as far as you know.

I think Sandyponder summed up my opinion well.

I was going to mention a dentist's office too. Had just moved and needed a new one. I hate them, but go. The Dr. was in an old historic building (lived in the mountains) and the waiting room was filled with old dentist antiques. I wanted to run out of there and actually never went back. There are probably a lot of people who would have loved looking at all, but my fear just rose while waiting.

Comfort and clean are my real requirements. And a good doctor. Oh, wait, the ones with 3 doz chairs and packed to the brim with patients make me uncomfortable. I imagine there is a lot of cleaning going on in the waiting rooms. Have never been to one that wasn't clean.

Love the teaching hospitals. I could roam the halls looking at all the art they display. And waiting areas are usually open so there is a feeling of welcome.

Regarding the "nice but clueless about waiting room comfort" doctors, don't you imagine there are articles in their medical journals on the psychological and cash effects of ugly waiting rooms?

And if not, this thread would be a wonderful stepping off point for someone who wanted to write such an article.

I know this post is long "dead", but I have to share this link I just found on this very topic.

PS: the site will suck you in! So be warned. I've spent most of the day banished away from company because I am sick, and had a great time reading this site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Decorologist Visits the Dentist

Long dead, yes.
But still timely.

In the days of rapidly changing insurances, jobs, and doctors, I noticed when I went to a male gyno, while on the table with my legs in the air, anyone who opened the door (and anyone walking by in the hallway) was greeted by a nice shot of .... me ....

I have since decided I don't want men telling me about my parts anymore. The female gyno I've now been going to see for 15 years has all of the tables arranged so the patients' "parts" are facing the back wall.

This one also happened to have a poster on the ceiling of two pigs happily rubbing snouts, with the caption "Aint love grand?" on it.

Talk about making someone feel more comfortable!