Department Of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (254)
Washington, DC 20420
December 2006
I.
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 VA 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.
J. Workload: Workload is the anticipated number of procedures or suite stops that are
processed through a department / service area. 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 outpatient clinic projects will utilize and apply the workload 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 a Day Hospital and their relationship with
other services of a medical facility. These criteria are predicated on established
and/or anticipated best practice standards, as adapted to provide environments
supporting the highest quality heath care for Veterans.
C. These criteria are based on established and anticipated standards, which are subject
to modification relative to development in standards of practice, equipment, vendor
requirements, and/or healthcare planning and design developments.
D. Administrative Conference Room - At any hospital, Nursing Service accounts for 30
percent to 40 percent of the total FTEE. It is difficult to schedule the hospital's
conference room because the Medical Center Director has scheduling priority and all
other hospital services also have need of the room. The classroom already included
in these criteria is in constant use for the educational requirements for 600 to 800
people, e.g., CPR training and 10 or 11 mandatory classes per employee per year in
areas of fire and safety, patient abuse and assaultive behavior. With a staff as large
as nursing service, there are always management and personnel functions which
must be frequently supported.
4. PROGRAM DATA REQUIRED (Input Data Questions)
A. Mission:
1 Is Nursing Service Administration authorized? (M)
Nursing Service Administration (Chapter 254): Page 3 of 8
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