Operating Rationale and Basis of Criteria

Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 274)

Washington, DC 20420

February 2007

provided for Intensive Care Units, Ambulatory Care and Surgical Service are not

included in this chapter.

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 all VA Space Planning

Criteria Chapters. VA-SE has been designed to aid healthcare planners in creating a

space plan based on a standardized set of criteria parameters.

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 satellite 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 the Quarters, On-Call and its 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 subject to modification relative to development in the equipment,

medical practice, vendor requirements, and subsequent planning and design. The

selection of the size and type of Quarters, On-Call equipment is determined by VACO

and upon Veterans Health Administration (VHA) anticipated medical needs.

PROGRAM DATA REQUIRED (Input Data Questions)

Mission Input Data Statements

1. Is this an Affiliated Facility? (M) (if No, it will be considered Non-Affiliated)

Staffing Input Data Statements:

1. How many Resident FTE positions are authorized? (S)

Quarters, On-Call (274): Page 3 of 6