Mary Doeling (Headshot: Courtesy of Lagrand)
Like care itself, waiting is never one-size-fits-all. A parent juggling a sick child and an adult arriving alone share the same space but not the same needs. It’s important that waiting spaces within healthcare facilities don’t flatten these needs into a single, generic experience.
Here are three ideas to consider for designing waiting spaces that meet a variety of patient needs.
1. Applying human-centered design to waiting spaces
Human-centered design teaches us that people don’t always voice what they need. Some needs are clear—privacy, comfort, and clarity. Others surface only through observation: a family member scanning for an outlet, a patient retreating to a corner, or families shifting seats to stay together.
Through our work at a leading cancer center in Houston, Texas, we observed these patterns across the waiting experience. Patients moved repeatedly between zones to find comfort, caregivers sought quieter spaces to regroup, and individuals looked for corners where conversations could feel private.
Those insights directly shaped the design of its new clinic in The Woodlands, Texas. Rather than a traditional check-in desk, the arrival area became an open, fluid zone where care ambassadors guide patients without creating bottlenecks. Private alcoves provide private spaces for sensitive conversations, while the overall flow allows frequent visitors to reach their destinations quickly, without sacrificing comfort or dignity.
Every element was grounded in human-centered design principles: supporting dignity, enabling autonomy, reducing friction, and creating calm.
2. Garnering design ideas from airport lounges
Healthcare can take a cue from airport lounges—spaces intentionally designed to make unavoidable waits more humane. Lounges recognize that waiting isn’t one-size-fits-all. They offer choice and autonomy: quiet corners for rest, pods for work, family areas, and access to refreshments.
The Capital One Lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth (Dallas) shows what thoughtful design can do. Acoustic treatments absorb noise from crowds, lighting varies in the different zones, and seating is varied from communal tables to private pods so people can choose how to spend their time. Services such as stocked refreshments and staff who proactively circulate reinforce that every detail of the wait has been anticipated.
Building on these lessons, a hospital could create environments that adapt to real-time needs: quiet corners for reflection, family-friendly zones during busy periods, and flexible nooks for caregivers to work or rest.
Modular seating, adjustable lighting, and digital wayfinding can give patients and families control over their surroundings, making waiting spaces responsive and human centered.
3. Designing for diverse patient needs
Waiting is charged with emotion and often happens during vulnerable moments. A patient waiting for test results may crave privacy. A daughter taking time off work for an appointment may appreciate caffeine and an outlet to plug in. When waiting spaces honor dignity, autonomy, ease, and calm, anxiety softens, trust grows, and patients and families can focus on what matters: the care ahead.
Even small design shifts can make a meaningful difference. For example, acoustic zoning lets patients choose between quiet retreat and social areas, giving them control over their sensory environment and supporting dignity. Dimmable lighting and soft ambient tones reduce overstimulation, introducing calm and helping patients enter appointments more focused and open.
When waiting spaces reflect these principles, they move from neutral holding areas to active stages of care—responsive environments that anticipate needs and show patients and families they are seen, respected, and supported.
Mary Doeling is senior experience designer at Langrand (Houston) and can be reached at [email protected].
