HN Explorer

Waiting Rooms Must Be Disrupted.

4 points by n_coats ↗ HN
I visited the doctors office yesterday and while waiting thought, "this place is miserable." I understand that a lot of people who visit them are miserable as well, but for crying out loud, the atmosphere of a waiting room at a doctors/dentists office is terrible.

Everyone I've ever visited seems to be the same. The same television showing Dr. Oz or News, the same germ infected instant coffee thermos, the same uncomfortable chairs crammed so close to each other, the same three month old magazines, the same droll wallpaper and generic motivational framed pictures, the same.. you get the picture.

I got to thinking about it. About how to possibly improve these environments for both the customers and the doctors. Ways to possibly invest further in the atmosphere, equipment, sanitation, and technology. Ways doctors could leverage people (users) in their waiting rooms to recoup the costs of an upgrade investment (and potentially generate profits after breaking even). I've got a couple different ideas that are no doubt, "out there", but I think it's fun to play what if!

Do you hate waiting rooms? Do you think its a medium that should and could be disrupted?

9 comments

[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 27.7 ms ] thread
mooism2
I wonder how you are thinking of generating revenue from people who are waiting? Particularly since many (most?) of the people there are either below their cognitive average or distracted by herding children.
weisser
"since many (most?) of the people there are...below their cognitive average"

Do intelligent people not get sick? Do they somehow avoid needing to sit in a waiting room by knowing exactly when to arrive so that they walk straight into their appointment?

dangrossman
Their cognitive average, not the cognitive average. When you're sick, you're not in your best mental condition, no matter how smart you are normally.
n_coats
right, so just a whimb thought, perhaps if you could ease the atmosphere of a waiting room to be more relaxing (colors, psych, tones, music, etc.) it could ease people. I think the important part would have to be setting them mentally?

But if the average wait time is say 15-20 minutes (complete guess). And you have a way to incorporate advertising from local business on a monthly basis (with increases during flue season, etc.), via tech, print, or which ever? Work with the business to tailer their offers to be appealing and time relative (case studies for guidance).

This may be a bit archaic, perhaps it may be more beneficial/practical to leverage waiters via social presence and interactions through apps? Which could actually in turn, generate local ad interest on the platform of choice?

Just wondering if there is a way where private practices could justify the investment, or possibly have it add value financially in addition to their customers experiences. What would make them want to do something like this?

n_coats
I don't necessarily think being below their cognitive average is a problem though. Advertising to drunkards (altered cognitive state) yields results as well!
mooism2
Subjecting people waiting in waiting rooms to advertising is hardly going to improve the experience of waiting in a waiting room.

I don't donate to Cancer Research UK any more specifically because they had an annoying advert on heavy rotation in a waiting room I was waiting in.

n_coats
I absolutely agree.. My overall interest is how can the waiting room experience be improved for people. I was just trying to think of ways to justify the investment for private practices, aside from the obvious better customer experience (which for some may be enough).
caw
I've heard of a startup that sells iPads for certain waiting rooms. You fill out your paperwork on the iPad, and since it's dynamic, they can upsell you. The company originally did automotive, and then I think they went into elective cosmetic doctors (laser hair removal, botox, spa sort of places)
tyang
Bring your own Wi-Fi hot spot.