Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (265)
Washington, DC 20420
June 2006
medical centers, hospitals or outpatient clinics, shall utilize workload and other criteria
set forth herein to generate a space program for each project.
B. Space Planning Criteria have been developed on the basis of an understanding of the
activities involved in the functional areas of Outpatient Clinics and their relationship with
other services of a medical facility. These criteria are based on established and/or
anticipated best practice standards as adapted to provide environments supporting the
highest quality health care for Veterans.
C. Room capacity calculation per year should be based on:
Operating days per year x Hours of operation per day
= Number of
Minutes per clinic stop / 60 minutes
annual clinic stops
1. The general planning model for VA facilities assumes 250 Operating Days per Year
and 8 Hours of Operation per Day. Room capacity will fluctuate as hours of
operation are modified, i.e., additional capacity may be generated by extending the
daily hours of operation within the same physical setting.
2. Basic Room Efficiency Factor selected is 80%.
Example: Assume a clinic stop that averages 32 minutes per clinic stop
250 operating days per year x 8 hours of operation per day
= 3,750 annual
32 minutes per clinic stop / 60 minutes
clinic stops
A maximum capacity of 3,750 clinic stops per year, assuming 100% utilization.
However, 100% utilization is not realistic. Apply an 80% Efficiency Factor as a
design standard for Ambulatory Care.
3,750 x 80% = 3,000 annual clinic stops.
PROJECTED
FUNCTIONAL
WORKLOAD
WORKLOAD
SERVICE / ROOM
AREA
TYPE
(MINIMUM)
Urgent Care: Emergency
Ambulatory Care
Clinic Stop
3,000
/ Admit
Treatment Module Exam
Room: Admit/Screen,
Primary Care, Medicine,
Clinic Stop
1,730
Oncology, Preventive,
Geriatric and
Gastroenterology
Treatment Module Exam
Room: Compensation
Clinic Stop
1,000
and Pension
Outpatient Clinic (Chapter 265): Page 6 of 65
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