The layout of a medical practice directly influences the well-being of patients, the efficiency of your team, and the image of your practice. Whether you are opening your first practice, planning a renovation, or taking over an existing one, rethinking the layout is often necessary: outdated furniture, inefficient spatial logic, or a lack of modern technologies can harm the patient experience and make your team’s work unnecessarily difficult.
1. Planning and designing your medical practice
Needs analysis according to your specialty
Before choosing medical practice furniture or planning your layout, it is essential to clarify your fundamental needs. What services will you offer? (General medicine, dental practice, group practice, …). How many consultation rooms do you need? Do you require equipment related to your specialty?
These answers will help you plan your layout and the budget allocated to equipment.
Practice layout and floor plan
Creating a clear floor plan allows you to organize your different rooms optimally. Think about the layout of all spaces to ensure smooth patient and staff flow. Make sure to list all the areas you will need:
- Reception desk
- Waiting room
- Consultation rooms
- Laboratory / technical room (if necessary)
- Sanitary facilities (patients & staff)
- Storage / supply room
- Staff room / back office
Accessibility of your medical practice
Beyond layout, ensure that your practice is accessible for all your patients: sufficiently wide doors, spaces accessible to wheelchair users, etc. These aspects are essential and should ideally be planned from the outset to guarantee a welcoming environment for all future patients.
Budget and financing for practice layout
The main cost components for setting up your medical practice include:
- Renovation / interior design
- Furniture and equipment
- Medical technology (devices, connections)
- IT and practice software
- Contingency budget for unexpected costs
Careful cost planning avoids unpleasant surprises and ensures a stable launch for your practice.
For a practice space of around 100 to 130 m², you can expect a cost of approximately 80,000 CHF to 100,000 CHF.
2. Designing spaces to maximize patient and team well-being
The reception desk as a central point
The reception area is an essential business card of your practice. It should offer a welcoming space while ensuring confidentiality. A well-designed layout clearly separates the waiting area from the reception desk so that conversations cannot be overheard from the waiting room. This balance between openness and privacy reassures patients as soon as they arrive.
Creating a comfortable waiting room
The waiting room is the first stage of your patients’ experience. To make it a welcoming space, here are some tips:
- Comfortable furniture: Choose ergonomic, easy-to-clean seating arranged to preserve privacy. Comfortable furniture improves well-being and reduces anxiety.
- Entertainment: Provide magazines, WiFi access, televisions, or relaxing music. These distractions make waiting more pleasant and create a calming atmosphere.
- Modern aesthetics: Choose neutral tones and soft lighting to create a soothing environment. A thoughtful and harmonious decoration can further enhance well-being.
Consultation rooms and functional spaces
Consultation rooms require specific equipment: easy-to-clean materials, well-positioned storage solutions, quick access to supply rooms, as well as appropriate connections for electricity, water, and IT. Medical technologies such as radiology or an in-house laboratory must also be considered during the planning phase to ensure smooth and functional integration.
Ergonomic back office
The back office should not be overlooked in your practice. Investing in staff comfort—ergonomic workstations, a separate break room, and a pleasant work environment—improves efficiency and well-being. Staff who feel comfortable naturally provide better service to patients.
3. Atmosphere and the psychological impact of your practice design
Making a medical appointment can be stressful for patients. With a well-designed and well-decorated practice, you offer a more calming experience. The layout should not only focus on practical aspects but also on psychological elements. A thoughtful design helps you support the emotions and overall comfort of patients.
Choosing colours, materials, and decorations to calm patients
A neutral base tone, such as white with wooden accents, combined with targeted colour touches depending on the room’s function, creates a recognizable identity and a sense of calm. The psychological impact of colours is well-documented: light blue encourages calmness, soft green is soothing and evokes nature, while overly vivid tones may cause agitation. Adding calming artwork or plants can also humanize the space and make it feel less clinical.
Lighting and acoustics to promote relaxation
Natural light is ideal, especially in waiting and consultation rooms. Artificial lighting should be planned differently: brighter light in consultation rooms and softer light in waiting areas. Well-designed lighting has a direct impact on patient mood and reduces anxiety.
For acoustics, sound absorption helps avoid stress and audibility issues. Absorbent ceiling materials, carpets, or thick curtains can significantly improve sound comfort. Confidentiality of consultations is also better preserved with proper sound insulation.
Don’t forget digital tools 
4. Clear signage in your medical practice
Clear and visible signage is essential to guide patients, avoid confusion, and reduce stress related to disorientation.
Exterior signage
Ensure that the name and logo of your practice are clearly visible from the outside.
Use sufficiently large lettering and appropriate lighting to guarantee good visibility both during the day and at night.
This prevents patients from arriving late or stressed because they struggled to locate your practice.
If access to your practice is not immediately obvious from the street, directional signs can greatly improve orientation.
Interior signage
Inside the practice, clear signage should guide patients to the waiting room, restrooms, and consultation rooms.
Ideally, use simple and universally understandable pictograms that transcend language barriers.
A logical numbering system and high contrast for readability ensure that all patients — including those with visual impairments — can navigate the space easily.
5. Hygiene, safety & regulations
What rooms does a medical practice need?
A medical practice requires at minimum a reception and waiting area, several consultation rooms, sanitary facilities for patients and staff, a storage room, and a technical room.
Depending on the specialty, a laboratory, imaging unit (e.g., radiology), or staff rooms may also be required.
Is quality management (QM) mandatory?
Quality management (QM) is mandatory in Switzerland in order to bill services through mandatory health insurance (OKP – art. 58d KVG).
It includes a documented quality management system as well as reporting and learning processes.
What is the minimum size of a consultation room?
There is no Switzerland-wide minimum size. Requirements depend on the specialty.
Cantonal guidelines, room functionality, and the equipment needed must also be taken into account.
Larger rooms improve storage, circulation, and hygiene but may affect how comfortable and intimate the space feels for patients.
Occupational safety & health protection
As a practice owner, you must ensure the physical and psychological safety of your staff:
compliance with the Labour Act (ArG), the Accident Insurance Act (UVG), and the Accident Prevention Ordinance (VUV).
Cantonal laws also require a layout that meets the “state of science and technology”.
Hygiene standards & processing of medical devices
A clear separation between “clean” and “contaminated” areas, defined reprocessing workflows, and strict documentation are mandatory.
Depending on the type and size of the practice, spatial requirements (e.g., a sterilisation room) may also apply.
Radiology, laboratory & specialised rooms
If you operate an imaging unit (e.g. radiology) or a laboratory, specific regulations apply:
authorisation from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), radiation protection plans, and appropriate qualifications.
Laboratories must also comply with cantonal quality assurance regulations.
Ready to design an optimal medical practice
Designing your medical practice in Switzerland requires much more than choosing attractive furniture.
From strategic planning to layout, atmosphere, and regulatory compliance — every step matters.
A thoughtful implementation allows you to create a functional, efficient, appealing, and legally compliant practice.
This forms the foundation for successful practice management and a positive patient experience.
