Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 233)
Washington, DC 20420
November 2006
1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A. This document outlines Space Planning Criteria for Chapter 233: Eye Clinic. It
applies to all medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
2
DEFINITIONS
A Affiliated: An arrangement whereby a school of medicine or optometry agrees to staff
a VA facility with faculty physicians (ophthalmologists), optometrists, residents and
interns / externs. In return, the VA provides the medical or optometry school with a
venue to train new physicians / optometrists. In this arrangement, the VA retains
responsibility for the care of its patients while the school of medicine or optometry
retains responsibility for all graduate level education and training.
B Clinic Stop: A clinic stop is one encounter of a patient with a healthcare provider.
Per these criteria, the clinic stop is the workload unit of measure for space planning.
One individual patient can have multiple clinic stops in a single visit or in one day.
C 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.
D Eye Care Provider: An Optometrist or Ophthalmologist who examines, diagnoses,
treats, prescribes medication, and manages the care of patients within his or her
clinical privileges as established by the governing body of a healthcare organization.
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 Internship / Externship
Program Areas.
G Input Data Statement: A set of questions designed to elicit information about the
healthcare project in order to create a Program for Design (PFD) based on the criteria
parameters set forth in this document. Input Data Statements could be Mission
related, based in the project's Concept of Operations; and Workload or Staffing
related, based on projections and data provided by the VHA or the VISN about the
estimated model of operation. This information is processed through mathematical
and logical operations in VA-SEPS.
H Low Vision: Vision considered being inferior to normal vision, as represented by
accepted standards of acuity, field of vision, or motility, and uncorrectable by
conventional lenses, or the branch of visual care identified with its correction or
rehabilitation by special aids or techniques.
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