Waiting room conditions are often overlooked. Doctors’ offices leave an important first impression on your patients. The waiting room should be as accommodating as possible and avoid common triggers. To ensure your patient’s well-being and maximize successful outcomes, the following recommendations should be considered:
- Ensure that your waiting room staff know basic information about how to communicate with people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Instruct your waiting room staff how to respond to noisy or agitated patients without anger or reprimand, as these may escalate patients’ anxiety.
- Have calming tools such as squeeze balls and fidget cubes available in your waiting room (https:// www.stimtastic.co/stim-toys. Every purchase benefits Autistic people).
- Institute a practice-wide policy of no strong fragrances. Share this new policy in your newsletters, email communications, and new patient paperwork
- Pale blue creates a calming atmosphere and is the best paint color for your waiting room. Green, pink and lavender are also calming colors.
- Fluorescent lighting can be difficult for people who have visual sensory issues. Consider more ambient lighting options such as floor lamps and LED lights for ceiling fixtures.
- If you have a TV in your waiting room, make sure there is an easy way to quickly lower the volume or turn it off.
- If possible, set aside a quiet space or "calm room" in case your waiting room becomes overstimulating for people with sensory issues. This is especially important for large, busy hospital waiting rooms.
- Delays are an inevitability. People may have difficulty waiting. Some may be using pre-arranged transportation to get to the office. Consider delay announcements, a visual display of estimated wait times, or prioritizing appointment times for patients who do not do well with waiting (who dislike crowds, who have difficulty waiting long periods, or who may have other sensory challenges).
- Even with environmental accommodations, it can sometimes be difficult for some patients to spend time in the waiting room. In situations like this, consider the option of having patients remain in their vehicle until their appointment time.
