Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 282)
Washington, DC 20420
February 2007
G Room Efficiency Factor: A factor that provides flexibility in the utilization of a room to
account for patient delays, scheduling conflicts, and equipment maintenance.
Common factors are in the 80 to 85% range. A room with 80% room efficiency
provides a buffer to assume that this room would be available 20% of the time
beyond the planned operational practices of the room. This factor may be adjusted
based on the actual and/or anticipated operations and processes of the room /
department.
H 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.
I
Workload: Workload is the anticipated number of procedures or suite stops that is
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 satellite outpatient clinic projects will utilize and apply the workload based
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 Social Work Service 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.
4
PROGRAM DATA REQUIRED (Input Data Questions)
A Mission Input Data Statements
1 Is a Secretary FTE position authorized for Social Work Service? (M)
B Staffing Input Data Statements
1 How many Social Worker FTE positions are authorized? (S)
2 How many Social Worker Associate FTE positions are authorized? (S)
3 How many Social Work Clerk FTE positions are authorized? (S)
4 How many Social Work Intern FTE positions are authorized? (S)
Social Work Service (Chapter 282): Page 3 of 6
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