When deciding to start your own medical practice, one important question to consider is: how many exam rooms do you need?

The answer really depends on the type of practice you’re planning to have. If you are planning a solo practice, instead of a group practice, and whether you need additional space for a surgical suite.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you decide how how many exam rooms you need in a medical office:

As a rule of thumb, you can estimate approximate 1,200–1,500 square feet (110-140 square meters) for the first physician; you can then add approximately 1,000–1,200 square feet for each additional physician, up to 5 physicians.

A traditional solo physician office would typically have 2- 3 exam rooms, a consultation room, a reception room. It would also likely have a business office and possibly some storage space. So a 6 room office is ideal for a solo physician, whereas, a 10-12 room office may be suitable for up to 5 physicians (as they share some of the consultation rooms, and the reception).

Also consider that if you have more exam rooms, you can have a smaller reception room. This is because patients can be moved to the rooms while waiting for the doctor to arrive.

When looking at the reception area seating, you need to calculate your busiest hours during the day or week and the typical number of patients you expect to see during that time period. (Remember to average this out over a few weeks or months to get a balanced number).

Then, multiply that number by 2.5, as this will make space for patients, but parents, children’s or relatives and friends who may be accompanying patient.  This will give you an idea of how many chairs you need in the reception area, to ensure there is enough seating.

These are just basic guidelines that will assist you with deciding how many exam rooms need for a doctors office to run successfully. Remember that you need to also consider the look and feel and aesthetic, which have a psychological effect on the patients, the team and the doctor as well.