Medical Office Directory Signs in Phoenix: Make the First Visit a Little Easier
Arriving for a medical appointment can be stressful enough without having to work out which of three similar buildings contains the right doctor’s office. The address matches, the parking lot looks familiar, but the entrance sign isn’t much help. Five minutes later, the patient is asking someone in another practice for directions.
Good medical office directory signs in Phoenix help prevent that sort of muddle. They’re useful for visitors, of course, but they also spare reception staff a steady stream of calls from people who are technically in the right place.
Start outside, not at the reception desk
It’s easy to focus on the smart new directory in the lobby. But will someone coming in from the parking lot know which lobby to enter?
Walk the route as though you’ve never been there. Check the street sign, building number and main entrance. Then continue to the elevators, corridors and individual suites. Every point where someone has to choose a direction is a chance for a clear, useful sign.
A large medical complex may need monument signs outdoors, entrance identification, lobby directories and simple arrows inside. They don’t all have to look identical, but the names and directions ought to agree.
Keep up with changes in the building
Medical offices move, change names and sometimes take an extra suite. Unfortunately, their old directory listings can hang around long after the move.
Before ordering anything, ask each tenant to confirm the exact practice name and suite number. Check those details against the building’s website and the directions given when appointments are booked. Even a small mismatch can send a patient down the wrong corridor.
If tenants change regularly, ask about a directory with panels or inserts that can be updated. It may save replacing a large, otherwise perfectly good sign later.
And don’t overlook the suite door. It’s frustrating to reach the right floor only to find that the practice name on the door doesn’t match the one on the directory.
Readability matters more than fancy lettering
A directory isn’t a piece of artwork that people have time to admire. They need to read it, often while carrying paperwork, keeping an eye on a child or worrying about being late.
Use clear lettering, good contrast and a sensible order for listings. Give people enough room to stand back and read without blocking a doorway. An arrow should appear before the turning point, not after somebody has already walked past it.
Outside, consider how strong Phoenix sunlight might affect glare. Inside, check readability from the usual approach and under the lighting that’s actually there.
What about ADA sign requirements?
This is where getting the details right matters. The Americans with Disabilities Act treats different signs differently. Signs identifying permanent rooms and spaces generally have tactile requirements when provided, while many directional signs have visual requirements.
Building directories and occupant names are exempt from those particular visual and tactile requirements. That doesn’t mean you should ignore accessibility, and it certainly doesn’t mean a directory replaces any required room identification sign.
The sensible approach is to discuss the purpose and location of each sign before the design is finalised, using the applicable standards rather than guessing.
Ask the people who give directions all day
Receptionists often know exactly where visitors go wrong. Perhaps everyone tries the side door because it looks like the main entrance. Perhaps the lift opens onto two almost identical corridors.
Ask staff which questions they answer most often. Fixing one confusing decision point may be more useful than adding a dozen signs nobody reads.
Make visiting your medical office simpler with Davis Signs
If patients regularly arrive flustered or late because they can’t find the right entrance, it may be time to rethink your signs. Davis Signs & Graphics designs, makes and installs directory, directional and indoor business signs for properties around Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Chandler. Talk through your building’s layout with the team and find out what would help visitors most. Call (480) 945 0196 for a free estimate.
Live references
https://davis-signs.com/directional-and-directory-signs/
https://davis-signs.com/indoor-signs/
