Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 312)
Washington, DC 20420
December 2006
M. 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.
N. Traumatic Brain Injury (Mainstream): This program provides cognitive rehabilitation to
veterans and active duty personnel who have sustained a brain injury and to return
those persons to the highest level of functioning possible. Mainstream provides a
structured environment which includes life skills classes, psychosocial groups, recreation
activities and community outings for the veterans.
O. 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 Statements. SEPS II, the current
version, incorporates the propositions set forth in this chapter as well as all chapters in
VA's Handbook 7610. SEPS II has been designed to aid healthcare planners in creating
a space plan based on a standardized set of criteria parameters.
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OPERATING RATIONALE AND BASIS OF CRITERIA
P. 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.
Q. Space planning criteria have been developed on the basis of an understanding of the
activities involved in the functional areas of the Domiciliary 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.
R. These criteria are based on established and anticipated standards, which are subject to
modification relative to development in the standards of practice, equipment, vendor
requirements, and healthcare planning and design. The selection of the size and type of
domiciliary equipment is determined by VACO and upon Veterans Health Administration
(VHA) anticipated medical needs.
S. The minimum number of patient beds, of all types, to generate one Domiciliary Patient
Care Unit is twenty-five. The maximum number of allowable patient beds per Unit is
thirty-two.
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PROGRAM DATA REQUIRED (Input Data Statements):
Domiciliary (Chapter 312): Page 4 of 16
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