21 Mar 3 Ways to Incorporate Feng Shui for an Optimal Clinic Setting

Doctor’s offices can be sterile and uninviting. With the help of Feng Shui, however, a local women’s clinic was able to overcome those issues and create an environment that is both welcoming and comfortable.

In December 2014, I was asked to be part of the St. Paul Clinic & Pharmacy project which was a dream of two doctors in the Twin Cities area.  Dr. Pa Foua Yang, who specializes in ob-gyn care, and her pharmacist husband Dr. Ky Fang had been looking for a building to purchase in order to open a women’s clinic.  When they contacted me, they had just found a building that they thought would be perfect. They contacted me because they were committed to incorporating Feng Shui throughout all phases of the clinic’s development.

Feng Shui works with the flow of life force which the Chinese call ch’i to create balance and harmony in an environment.  It’s a system that provides ways to create an ideal living or work-space to bring prosperity, productivity, and peace.

Here are three specific steps we took to create their special clinic:

1. The Waiting Area. The first area that patients and visitors will see when they enter the clinic is the waiting room. For this reason that area needs to set the theme of the clinic—one of healing, peace and happiness. Therefore, we were took steps to make sure that all five of the Chinese Element system were in place: plants for the wood element, wall fountain representing the water element, the red fire element was present in the artwork, the white color is connected to the metal element and the ceramic floor and wallcovering fulfilled the earth element.
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2. Employee Considerations. Even though their expectations of having employees was small during this initial time, both doctors knew that eventually this would be an important part of business growth.  They diligently set up a private lunch room in their space along with a private bath—-a strong message of support and appreciation for those who will eventually come to work for them.
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3. Dr. Yang’s Office. Because of the size of the space, my clients were not planning to have a private office, opting to do office work at the reception desk or wherever there was open space. After discussing the importance of them having a private space for themselves, establishing a strong message about their authority, a small private office was designed into the plan.

Our overall goal was to create an optimal medical environment while adhering to my clients’ intention of creating a space using Feng Shui to uphold their intentions of healing, peace and happiness.

Wall colors, room designations, employee considerations, office space, bathroom placements, desk placements were all discussed with regard to being in alignment with Feng Shui principles.

In addition to the waiting room, the Chinese system of the 5 Elements was employed in Dr. Yang’s office; the Feng Shui bagua was applied; ideal directions for both doctors were considered; ceremonies were integrated; the Chinese calendar was also consulted for a suitable date to open the doors.

As the clinic is getting up to speed and patients are finding their way to The St. Paul Clinic, Dr. Yang shares that the comment most often heard from patients coming into the clinic is “it’s so peaceful in here—–it doesn’t feel like a clinic.” This is exactly what my clients were looking to achieve.

Interested in learning more? Read my related blogs: “Is Your Office Having an Identity Crisis?” “What Does Your Conference Room Say About You?”  “3 Feng Shui Considerations for Employees”