Have you ever noticed how a certain personality type will choose to sit in one area of your waiting room? This is an occurrence that I noticed in our office several years ago. I continue to observe this every day and find it helpful in judging a patient or a patient's parent and their contact needs.
When a patient decides to sit away from the reception desk near the magazine rack you can be fairly sure that this type of person will have something to read or work on quietly and will patiently wait for their appointment time.
The patients who chose to sit directly in front of the reception desk require more attention. They usually want a one-on-one conversation from the receptionist until they are called in for their appointment. They can be quite demanding or just fun loving but definitely more assertive.
There is another area in our waiting room that people will chose to sit in if they are a couple or parent and child. These people are generally patient as well.
Noticing where the patient chose to sit when they initially entered our office, gives me a clue as to the personality of the patient and their interaction needs.
Of course this might all be a crazy idea, so I challenge you to observe your patient's and observe where they choose to sit in your waiting room.