Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (265)
Washington, DC 20420
June 2006
1
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A This document outlines space planning criteria for VA Handbook 7610 Chapter 265:
Outpatient Clinic. It applies to all medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA).
B An Outpatient Clinic (Satellite Outpatient Clinic, Community Based Outpatient Clinic
,CBOC) is a freestanding ambulatory care facility that is physically separated, but
usually administratively associated with a VA medical Center (parent facility).
C This criteria chapter identifies functional and space requirements for all services and
programs which may typically be provided in VA Outpatient Clinics. These requirements
are based on individual space planning criteria chapters for hospital-based services.
Where necessary in individual chapters, functions and/or space for hospital-based
services have been modified to reflect the requirements in Outpatient Clinics.
D Refer to the following Space Planning Criteria chapters for those services not typically
provided in Outpatient Clinics but which may receive VA Central Office approval for
inclusion of space for specific functions:
208 - Chaplain Service.
218 - Veterans Assistance Unit.
248 - Medical Media Service.
252 - Nuclear Medicine Service.
275 - Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
316 - Dialysis Center.
400 - Library Service.
2
DEFINITIONS
A 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 procedure / suite stops in a single visit or in one day.
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 services
to be provided in the new or remodeled space.
C 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.
D 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, and Residency Program.
Outpatient Clinic (Chapter 265): Page 4 of 65
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