“I have more PPE than I’ve ever had, where do I store it all?”
It’s a question that too many Dentists find themselves asking in our New Normal. Now you’ve got more to store, more to wash, more to wear but your clinic is only so big. You want to make the most of the space you have.
What do you do?
Jennifer Brown of Decca Design Inc. and her team have been maximizing clinic storage for over 20 years. Reconfiguration, the first strategy in “5 Easy Strategies to Navigate the New Normal and Beyond” comes to your clinic’s rescue.
“When you look at your clinic with new eyes you spot ways to do things more efficiently and save money.” Jennifer Brown
Define your PPE needs by asking yourself:
• How much PPE does our clinic use in a given week/ month?
• Are we better served with disposable PPE or reusable?
• Do we prefer to do our own laundry or hire a service?
• Do our staff have the space needed to change?
• Do we have the space available for garbage/ recycling/ inventory?
Tall ceilings can provide easy to access storage for things you don’t need every day
Hidden storage will not allow you to see what you have. Easy to spot storage helps manage PPE expenses by minimizing inventory waste. Consider what you would use in a best case and worst case scenario and where you use it.
Find under used space by asking yourself:
• Do I have an empty waiting room/ play space/ coffee bar?
• What vertical space is unused, above cupboards or doors or on walls?
• Where can I use narrow shelves for small supplies?
• Are the storage bins I’m using too big and have unused space or capacity?
• How can I arrange my existing furniture more effectively?
Once you’ve found your best under used spaces choose storage solutions that better meet your new needs. Have everything you need at your fingertips and your staff and your patient experience will be adjusted for this “New Normal” in a functional, streamlined way. Each maximized space is a micro win that can really add up to create overall efficiency in clinic flow and function. We call this RODI, Return on Design Investment. Make your space work for you and improve your bottom line.
If you want to explore more ways your dental clinic can thrive, download “5 Easy Strategies to Navigate the ‘New Normal’ and Beyond.”
If you are needing some inspiration, check out our website at www.decca-design.com or Pinterest.com. We can be found at Decca Design.
Has this been helpful? Please respond with your thoughts and tell us what’s on your Design Mind. We look forward to your comment below.