Why Your Medical Facility Needs Automatic Doors

Whether you’re redesigning your entire medical facility or just making a few renovations, you might give some thought to the need to change the doors. These days, a medical facility without automatic doors is a problem in multiple ways. Take into account the many reasons to make the switch to automatic doors now.

Accessibility

One seriously significant reason to get automatic doors is to make the facility accessible to all patients and employees. Doors that need to be pushed or pulled open are not accessible to some people in wheelchairs or individuals with other disabilities. Your patients and employees need to be able to get into the facility without hindrance. Even if your medical facility is not technically required to have automatic doors for accessibility, installing this feature is a morally sound move.

Need for Extra Room

In a medical facility, there are a variety of situations that could result in the need for wider doors. For example, patients might be brought into the facility on a stretcher from an ambulance. The stretcher might not fit through a traditional door. Also, the emergency responders are trying to get the patients in as quickly as possible, and automatic door systems allow them to do so. Deliveries of medical equipment or other larger packages could also be made to the facility, thereby furthering the need for automatic doors.

Hygiene

At a medical facility, many of the patients coming in and out are sick. It is a fairly uncommon practice for individuals to wear plastic gloves when they are ill, so they are likely touching the door knobs with their bare hands. Getting automatic doors that sense motion eliminates this problem. You might still install a button that people can press to open the door, but patients who are uncomfortable touching surfaces can simply walk up to the motion sensor and get into the facility.

Peacefulness

Automatic doors are useful at the entrances and exits of the building, but you should also install this feature within the hallways. This decision is particularly important in facilities where patients have to stay overnight. Traditional doors can make a lot of noise when opened and closed. The automatic doors can offer a more peaceful period of rest. Many patients struggle to sleep when they are in the hospital overnight, so you want to make the atmosphere as calm as possible.

Installing automatic doors is a move that your medical facility should make as soon as possible if they haven’t already. These doors are important for bettering the health and comfort of your patients, as well as the safety and ease of the day-to-day work environment.