Three key design elements for men's health clinics

Urologists and internists who direct successful comprehensive men’s health centers in the U.S. say these centers need to do more than cater to men’s health needs. They should also cater to men’s wants. Specifically, here are three design elements you should incorporate into your men’s health center, if you haven’t done so already.

1. A separate entrance and waiting area

Having a stand-alone men’s health center is not always feasible. But it should be defined by walls, a separate entrance, and a separate reception area. Patients at men’s health centers should not be in waiting rooms with patients waiting to be seen in a hospital or academic center’s other clinic types, say key figures in these centers.

2. Masculine decor, feel

When designing a men’s health center, think about making men comfortable. The physicians I interviewed recently for a Urology Times article about these centers emphasize darker color schemes, clean lines, and uncluttered comfort. The NYU Langone Medical Center’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Men’s Health was among the winners of the International Interior Design Association’s 2014 Healthcare Interior Design Competition. The center features a masculine, spa-like setting. Colors include browns, orange, and beige, with stainless steel accents, plenty of comfortable seating, and even bar-type seating.

3. Men’s magazines, flat-screen TV, and plenty about sports

Think about how to keep busy men happy while they’re waiting. The Preston Robert Tisch Center offers wireless Internet to make it possible for men to work and use their wireless devices in the waiting area. Flat-screen TVs are a must, I was told. The University of Utah’s center even has flat-screen TVs in its exam and treatment rooms. Don’t have those TVs sitting idle. Tune into sports channels and the news. Be sure to have on any big sporting events, like World Cup soccer or the Tour de France, so men in your reception area don’t miss a beat.

As for magazines, save the copies of Good Housekeeping for the women’s health center or other clinics. Stock the men’s health center with popular men’s titles, including Sports Illustrated, Golf, Time, Business Week, and perhaps the Wall Street Journal.

The comprehensive men’s health center concept sends the message that men matter. Creating a space that sends the same message can only help, experts say.

For more on the evolving concept of men’s health, be sure to check out our new section, #LetsTalkMensHealth.UT

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