By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CRANBOURNE North is home to a fresh take on healthcare, with traditional medical centre ideals thrown out the window paving way for hot desking, mobile staff and consulting rooms with a difference.
The innovative take on preventative health and general practice centres on its custom interiors and consultation rooms which mean less time waiting and no reception desk.
HealthMint Medical Centre at The Eve shopping precinct opened in October, even sparking interest from Casey mayor Sam Aziz, who said the technology based systems are ‘turning medicine on its head.’
Since opening its doors the centre has accrued around 250 patients and holds an even stronger online audience through its Facebook page.
Owners, Chantelle Brott and Dr Paul Tescher said many of their architectural choices grew out of negative patient experiences.
“There are no desks in the consulting rooms and doctors use a tablet and swing table rather than sitting at a desk and turning away from the patient to make notes,” Chantelle said.
The duo made the decision to ensure their patients were the centre of the room, enabling the GP to keep eye contact throughout the consultation.
The user friendly approach to the centre starts with the booking process, which can be done online, over the phone or by using the HealthMint app.
And patients log themselves in using tablets which have replaced the need for a seated receptionist.
“In the future we want to have our reception staff work more like a concierge and have them mobile around the practice, assisting patients and keeping the checking in and out flowing,” Chantelle said.
Decorated with high-end contemporary furniture, the waiting room has become a major draw card for the new Casey business.
“We’ve had people walk in and say this is our new practice, before even sitting down with me to discuss their health – that’s how powerful the space is,” Dr Tescher said.
The centre includes eight consultation rooms, a pathology room and treatment room and a lot of natural light, something the young entrepreneurs insisted on when buying the premises.
Chantelle and Paul are hopeful that the therapeutic space they have created along with their efficient processes encourage people to visit the doctor even when they aren’t sick.
“We think health care could and should be better and we want to focus on preventative health strategies,” Chantelle said.
