Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Handbook 7610 (262)
Washington, DC 20420
June 2006
5. Disposition Area: Accommodates activities such as travel pay, pharmacy, etc. for
scheduled and unscheduled outpatients. Patients typically visit this area last before
leaving Ambulatory Care.
6. Support Areas: Accommodates diagnostic support functions such as satellite X-ray,
blood specimen collection, etc.
7. Staff and Administrative Areas: Accommodates administrative staff and professional
staff whose primary responsibilities lie in emergency care and
examination/treatment.
8. Residency Program: Accommodates medical education functions in affiliated VA
facilities.
M. Input Data Statements: 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 for the facility. This information is processed through mathematical and logical
operations in VA-SEPS.
N. 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.
O. Medical Administration Services (MAS): For the purposes of these criteria, denotes
spaces for integral administrative functions of Ambulatory Care, and may have different
administrative designations throughout VA facilities. MAS includes the following integral
administrative functions of Ambulatory Care:
1. Preparing, receiving and processing applications for medical, dental, nursing home
and domiciliary care;
2. Reception, eligibility, scheduling, waiting lists, and administrative and clerical
activities in scheduled clinics;
3. Processing admissions, releases, transfers, absences, Beneficiary travel
management, and compensation and pension control;
4. Decedent affairs;
5. Prosthetics (when there is no Prosthetics and Sensory Aids service in the medical
center);
6. Employee health;
7. Commitment controls and Patient funds and services.
P. Net-to-department gross factor (NTDG): A factor that when multiplied by the
programmed Net Square Foot (NSF) area, determines the Departmental Gross Square
Feet (DGSF). The NTDG factor adopted for Ambulatory Care is 1.65.
Q. Primary / Ambulatory Care Provider: A medical professional, such as a physician, nurse
practitioner, or physician assistant, who provides care in the Ambulatory Care Clinic.
R. Program for Design (PFD): A space program based on criteria set forth in this document
and specific information entered about Concept of Operations, Workload projections and
Staffing levels authorized.
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