Department Of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 100)
Washington, D.C. 20402
December 2006
G. Net-to-department-gross (NTDG): A parameter, determined by the VA for each Space
Planning Criteria Chapter, used to convert the programmed Net Square Foot (NSF) area
to the Department Gross Square Foot (DGSF) area. The NTDG Departmental
Conversion Factor for MS&N Patient Care Unit is 1.65.
H. Neurological Unit: This unit provides care for the patient whose primary treatment is for
injury or dysfunction of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system.
I.
Orthopedic Unit: This unit provides care to the surgical and/or medical orthopedic
patient, allowing consolidation of all specialized orthopedic equipment (beds, frames,
crutches, etc.) on one unit
.
J. Patient Care Unit: A dedicated area for inpatient accommodations, providing direct
health care, support facilities, and institutional services. The minimum number of beds,
of all types, to generate one MS&N Patient Care Unit is 28 and the maximum is 32.
K. Program for Design (PFD): A space program generated by VA-SEPS based on criteria
set forth in this document and specific information entered about Concept of Operations,
Workload projections and Staffing levels authorized.
L. SEPS (VA-SEPS): Acronym for Space and Equipment Planning System, a digital tool
developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs
to generate a Program for Design (PFD) and an Equipment List for a VA healthcare
project based on specific information entered in response to Input Data Questions. VA-
SEPS incorporates the propositions set forth in all space planning criteria chapters. VA-
SEPS has been designed to aid healthcare planners in creating a space plan based on a
standardized set of criteria parameters.
M. Step-Down Care Unit: This is a general, medical, and surgical or coronary care unit
providing care to those patients discharged from an intensive care unit but requiring
more care than provided on a general care unit often referred to as Telemetry Unit.
N. Workload: Workload for nursing units is projected number of bed days of care (BDOC).
The total workload applied to departmental operational assumptions will determine
overall room requirements by modality.
3
OPERATING RATIONALE AND BASIS OF CRITERIA
A. Workload Projections or planned services / modalities for a specific VA medical center,
hospital or satellite outpatient clinic project are provided by the VA Central Office
(VACO) / VISN CARES Capacity Projection Model. The workload projections are
generated by methodology based upon the expected veteran population in the
respective market / service area. Healthcare planners working on VA medical center,
hospital or satellite outpatient clinic projects will utilize and apply the workload based
criteria set forth herein for identified services and modalities to determine room
requirements for each facility.
B. Space planning criteria have been developed on the basis of an understanding of the
activities involved in the functional areas of the MS&N Patient Care Units and its
MS&N Patient Care Units (Chapter 100): Page 3 of 15
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