Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (214)
Washington, DC 20420
December 2006
1
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A. This document outlines space planning criteria for Chapter 214: Clinical Services
Administration. It applies to all medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA).
B. Clinical Services are those units responsible for special segments of healthcare
activities.
2
DEFINITIONS
A. Affiliated: An arrangement whereby a school of medicine agrees to staff a VA facility
with faculty physicians, residents and interns / externs. In return, the VA provides the
medical school with a venue to train new physicians. In this arrangement, the VA
retains responsibility for the care of its patients while the school of medicine retains
responsibility for all graduate level education and training.
B. Concept of Operations: A user-developed guide to the functional operation of the VA
healthcare facility. It defines the function of the facility and the scope of medical or
optometric services to be provided in the new or remodeled space.
C. Clinical Service Levels:
Level A: An affiliated service with at least 80 patient beds or, in the case of a Mental
Health Clinic, at least 60 patient beds.
Level B: Non-bed clinical services with an affiliated program, or clinical service with
less than 80 patient beds or, in the case of Mental Health Clinic, less than 60 patient
beds.
Level C: non-affiliated service with at least 80 patient beds or, in the case of a Mental
Health Clinic, at least 60 patient beds.
D. Departmental Net to Gross (DNTG) Conversion Factor: 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
DNTG Departmental Conversion Factor for Clinical Services Administration is
1.30.
E. Full-Time Equivalent (FTE): A staffing parameter equal to the amount of time
assigned to one full time employee. It may be composed of several part-time
employees whose total time commitment equals that of a full-time employee. One
FTE equals a 40 hours per week.
F. Functional Area: The grouping of rooms and spaces based on their function within a
clinical service. Typical Functional Areas are Reception Areas, Patient Areas, Support
Areas, Staff and Administrative Areas, Residency and / or Externship Program Areas.
Clinical Services Administration (Chapter 214): Page 2 of 7
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