"Serve at room temperature" is one of those lines in recipes that lead one to wonder…whose room? How hot or cold should it be to keep the food tasty without risking spoilage? How long can the food be left out?

Even though they're not in the same class with edibles, the same questions apply to patients. Unfortunately, there probably isn't a single good answer.  And the number of people in your waiting room at any given time further influences the temperature—the more people, the higher the temperature will rise due to body heat being given off.

A temperature one person finds comfortable may feel too cool or too warm for another. However, scientists tell us that most people remain comfortable in a five-degree temperature range when they cannot feel air blowing directly on them.  But here's an even more important finding: When people can feel air blowing, their comfort range goes up an additional six degrees! In other words, we tend to be more comfortable in a light breeze than in still air. Under a running ceiling fan, many people can comfortably sleep through a summer night with their thermostat set at 80 degrees.

A temperature range of 68 to 70 degrees will probably keep most patients comfortable, and installing a ceiling fan in your waiting room should make them even more so.