“Price is what you pay, value is what you get.” – Warren Buffet

When it comes to selecting materials for your medical office, the key is intentionality. Being clear on your vision can sharpen your focus on what the right material is, for its specific purpose. This is an excellent exercise to make deliberate choices. Material selection is also about looking out for value to create value yourself. So how does being intentional and identifying value figure in material selection? Let us count the ways by diving into the list right below.

Materials can influence the patient experience

Creating the right mood for a medical office is so important that it can spell the success of any design project. The design intent that has been conceptualized has a great deal to do with the materials you choose to finish off a space. There is a direct relationship between the finishes that a patient perceives and the quality of experience they will take from the visit. Often, materials are chosen based on very specific design intentions and need to be aligned to achieve the desired effect. Being intentional means being able to make the right selections because you know the goal on the horizon. It is in acknowledging that these small decisions are bringing you closer to achieving that vision you have set out for your practice. Align your materials with the design intent so that the messaging doesn’t get lost in translation.

Value over cost

While it is tempting to appease your bottom line and just simply choose materials based on cost, material selection goes beyond the price tag. Materials need to be qualified based on quality – and how they will support your vision and workflow. Quality can be measured in so many ways but given the nature of medical spaces, materials need to be above all – medically and commercially rated. A good example will be using medically-rated wallpaper for your walls. They’re direct protection for your walls, durable enough to withstand constant cleaning and disinfection, and look great with a variety of patterns to choose from. When you qualify materials based on purpose, there are fabulous options that rise to the occasion.

How materials are made, what they are made from, how it is used, or how difficult they will be to maintain, are criterias that need to be evaluated to determine the value that you can derive from them. What value does it give you if it is cheap but costs a ton to install? What savings can you reap when it is in constant need of repair and replacement? Material selection is also an exercise in value judgments, identifying what matters most and what is open for compromises. Remember that the value you get forms part of the cumulative value you end up creating for your patients in the end.

Right materials, fewer mistakes, faster returns.

This last item might touch on part with the previous argument for value, but it also zeroes in on the expertise of the designer you choose to partner with. Choosing the right material reflects the level of expertise and the kind of service you are getting from working with a medical interior designer. Specifying appropriate medical-grade, workplace-safe material is a function of qualified Medical Interior Designers. Aside from specialized design experience, knowing what materials to choose saves you time, money in the long run, and energy. Learning from mistakes is often expensive but ultimately avoidable.

The market is chock full of options that we are largely spoiled for choice. Filtering out the choices into a shortlist can be challenging but one that becomes increasingly easy by knowing what you truly require. Narrowing down materials based on solid criteria makes sure that we are thorough and intentional about the selection process. Material selection is important, and we hope this list helps in laying down the objectives of why it matters in the building process and down the line when you are receiving clients as well. Choosing the right material for the right job ensures that you are on the right path to creating a truly healing environment.