Water Reed Army Medical Center

Furniture evaluation
Washington, DC

Public areas are one of the first and most important areas for the patients and visitors. They will spend a great deal of time in these areas. Much of this time is under physical discomfort and emotional stress. Waiting areas presented Walter Reed Army Medical Center with an opportunity to convey the overall image and communicate that the facility and the United States Military care about their patients and their families.

Huelat Parimucha Healthcare Design worked with Walter Reed to evaluate, prioritize, design, and upgrade approximately 125 public areas and waiting rooms. These rooms are found throughout the hospital, including primary lobby waiting areas with over 70 seats to clinic departmental waiting rooms. Each of the areas provides a unique need for the patient, visitor and staff.

Our engagement with Walter Reed is a long term relationship to establish Furniture Standards and procurement standards for purchasing and installation of furniture. These standards included evaluation of existing conditions, as well as the evaluation of new proposed furniture types. The development of room standards with specific requirements required attention to proposed occupant requirements, ADA and accessible standards, layout standards and support furniture. Other factors for standards included guidelines for the human factors, maintenance, functional criteria, cost, regulatory considerations, clinical factors, aesthesis as well as UNICOR requirements.