What should the team work area be like? It’s arguable that the most important space in a clinic is the team work area because it acts as a main gathering space and plays an important role in communication. KDA pays close attention to this space. In many facilities it is left surrounded by rooms that are bland and where access to natural light is limited. By paying attention to that space, we are able to create a more comfortable space that promotes communication, improving lean delivery, and balancing the requirements of evidence-based design.

To improve communication, this project placed the teaming area in the middle and surrounded it by exam rooms. Patients then flow around the teaming area and into the exam rooms. This resulted in what we call a central neighborhood approach. The design then used lively forms and volumes to suggest the importance of the space. Natural light enhances the composition and, as studies show, encourages communication, ideation, and regeneration.

The central neighborhood scheme at the Family Health Centers Omak Clinic places the providers in a position to interact with and be visually aware of patients as they are roomed. This arrangement reinforces the character of the clinic as a friendly community of people, enhancing the patient experience, and improving patient confidence in their care.