Building's design can give your practice greater visibility

Some groups are following the lead of hospitals by using office facilities as a way to make themselves stand out.

By Mike Norbut, AMNews staff. May 15, 2006.

When Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, an 18-physician group based in Charlotte, N.C., started to outgrow its facility, it was a reason to make a dramatic change.

The group decided against expanding. It didn't even settle for purchasing a larger facility. It bought a building, wrecked it, and built anew with style and flair.

The new building, a combination of stone and glass, served a twofold purpose for the practice. It gave the physicians and staff much-needed space, but it also gave them additional visibility, something the previous location sorely lacked.

"We didn't want the building to look ostentatious, but we wanted it to be recognizable," said E. Hunter Dyer, MD, a neurosurgeon and president of the group.

"We have patients come from a 100-mile radius, so one of the better things is it's much easier to find."

In a competitive environment, some physicians are looking to their physical buildings as a way to distinguish themselves from other doctors in their market. Unique design and innovative use of space are becoming popular mantras for groups looking to make an impact on patients.

Just as physicians want to be known as providing high-quality care and service to their patients, some also don't want their places of business to be seen as drab, boring medical office buildings. While the cost of such work can be pricey, those who have done it say it's worth doing as a long-term investment.

Physicians are following the lead of hospitals, which have been designing their facilities to fit descriptive phrases like "patient-centric" and "healing environment" for decades.