When you’re buying healthcare furniture for your medical office, there are some considerations to think about. This is because healthcare furniture has special features because patients may need these. Also, your receptionist may need a certain kind of desk that is different from regular office furniture. So, for patients some furniture pieces that you buy may have wheels and others may have leg rests though they look much like regular office furniture. So below are some of the mistakes that you could make when buying new healthcare furniture to avoid.
Buying the wrong fabric: Just because you fall in love with a type of fabric for a chair doesn’t mean that it’s the right kind of fabric. For example, a pretty cotton fabric may be lovely, but it probably won’t hold up to the constant wear and tear if used often. A healthcare grade vinyl is a much better choice. It can hold up to repeated cleanings. It can also be treated with a protective antimicrobial coating to inhibit harmful bacteria growth. It will additionally stand up to the heavier use that you can expect from patients who may have trouble getting out of chairs.- What you didn’t like about the old furniture isn’t thought about: When you’re contemplating replacing old furniture, then think about what didn’t work with it. This way when you buy your new pieces you’ll know what not to look for as well as what not to look for. For example, maybe your receptionist needs a desk with a barrier between her and the clients for more privacy to consider because the old desk didn’t have this feature.
- Choosing price over value: Yes, bargains are great, but not when it affects the life of the furniture. A chair which is made to be used occasionally then won’t withstand the heavy use of day to day traffic. So, if it needs to be replaced sooner than expected, then you really didn’t save any money.
- Buying a product not fit for what you want it for: If everyone was built the same, then buying chairs, desks and furniture for the waiting room would be a lot easier. So, you need furniture pieces that are comfortable for the people intended for them having the right pieces in the waiting room. If you’re buying a desk chair for an employee too, for example, a chair designed for up to a certain weight; but the person using it weighs more than that, that could be an accident waiting to happen. But by purchasing a plus size chair if needed, that problem is easily solved.
Buying for appearance and not function: Everyone wants to project a professional appearance and have a wide range of furniture options. When choosing your furniture, choose not only for the appearance though, but how well the furniture pieces will function in your office. Now Ergonomic design may be crucial for some members of your staff. These chairs have lumbar backrest supports, foot rings, contoured seats and adjustable armrests and seats. With these chairs, it can cut down on work related injuries and days called off work due to back and neck problems associated with people who work long hours at desks.- Making purchases that don’t match your accounting department’s depreciation: This means that if you purchase a piece of furniture which your accounting office is expecting to last 8 years and it lasts 5, you’ll then be buying a new chair without the tax benefits involved being completely used for the old furniture. This means that you’ll have to replace furniture sooner than you were expecting to, and your accounting department won’t be happy.
- Not figuring in the total cost: When you buy your furniture, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You need to ask about the taxes on the furniture, any special handling charges, freight charges and even if there are assembly and installation charges. Now, the place where you buy it may mention “Delivered Price” but this can have other meanings too. Does it mean that it will cover inside delivery to your business for example? Or will it need to be brought in by you up a flight of stairs?
- Not finding out if the vendor will be there after the sale: You need to ask how the vendor handles warranties if there is a problem; for example, if something arrives broken. Ask for references so that you can check to see how satisfied other customers were with the service provided also.
Buying healthcare furniture for your office isn’t difficult think about what you want to purchase.
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