Observations of Ergonomics in Medical Exam Room

This hasn’t been the week for me in terms of health.  It started last weekend with a nasty sore throat and by Tuesday night/Wednesday morning I had a fever of 102.  Not being accustomed to being sick, especially having a fever, I decided to go into an Urgent Care clinic.  Despite having a fever, chills and body aches I was able to focus on the incorporation of ergonomics into the design and equipment of the exam room.  Here are a few observations that caught my attention for meeting/fitting the needs of the patients and caregivers alike:

• Monitor arm:  Computers have been in exam rooms for a few years now; however, the flat screen monitor was on an adjustable height/depth arm.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the nurse who roomed me and the doctor actually took a couple seconds to adjust the height.
• Bariatric patient chair:  There were two chairs in the exam room.  The designers obviously took into consideration the obesity level of the general population as the patient chair was wider than normal and had armrests.  Given the small size of the exam room the second chair (for a family member) was what I would term “the norm”, meaning it was regular width and had no armrests.
• Electric height adjustable exam table:  I immediately noticed that the exam table was low—it was at sitting height so I knew it had to be a height adjustable table.  Ease and comfort for me to get on the table and for the doctor to raise the table to his standing height and examine me is so superior to fixed height exam tables.  Unfortunately, the great majority of exam tables in medical clinics continue to be fixed height.
• High tech thermometer:  The nurse said she was going to take my temperature so I expected to see the in-the-ear type.  To my surprise the thermometer she had what look liked a small ball on the end.  She rolled it over my forehead and behind one ear and immediately had a temperature reading (of 102 no less!).  I had never seen one like that before.  She said it was pretty new and was greatly preferred by kids who had ear infections compared to the in-the-ear model.

The above shows how technology and/or design incorporates ergonomics to make an Urgent Care visit comfortable for the patient while doing the same for the caregivers who work in that environment day after day.

I hope to be 100% soon.  This was my first time being ill in over two years.  I hope it’ll be another 2+ years before I’m sick again.  I wonder what the exam room design will look like then?