FINAL DRAFT- 10/31/95
REVISED January 1997
Materials
Inpatient and Outpatient traffic should be
separated where possible.
Materials are transported via service elevators
which access the clinic's clean and soiled utility
Inpatient access from hospital service elevators
room by the back corridor to avoid mixing with
is required.
patient traffic.
Inpatients arrive at a control point common with
Clean supplies are transported by exchange
outpatients.
carts which are stored in the Clean Supply
Room.
Inpatients access patient holding, if provided,
through a dedicated route separated from
Supplies are transported by service elevator's
outpatient waiting.
and through hospital corridors separated from
patient traffic where possible.
Staff
Deliveries are scheduled during hours when
Staff access should be separated from patient
patient visits are not scheduled.
waiting and holding areas.
Linen
Staff lounge and locker areas should be located
away from inpatient and outpatient traffic.
Disposable linens are delivered as part of clean
supplies.
Records
Records are centrally maintained and may be
Sterile Supplies
distributed by an automated distribution or
Sterile Items are transported to equipment
electronic retrieval system to be selected on a
processing on dedicated closed carts
project basis.
Equipment is also transported to the Sterile
Ambulatory Care volumes are determined by
Processing Department for steam cleaning and
subdepartment and specialty clinic.
sanitizing.
Each clinic requires access to the pneumatic
The use of sterile supplies for other procedures
tube or automated box transport system to
is accommodated by prepackaged or disposable
provide distribution of medical records and work
items that are delivered with clean supplies.
orders.
Food
These transport modes are located where
Dietary deliveries to Ambulatory Care are
shared use is possible in order to provide
limited to nourishments provided at holding
economical access for all clinics.
areas where patients who have undergone
minor procedures are held for observation
Specimens
and/or recovery.
Specimens are collected within the clinics
and/or at a central Lab Collection Area and are
Waste
transported to the Pathology Labs. The most
Waste is collected by housekeeping staff and
effective means for maintaining specimen
transported to the Soiled Utility Rooms and
quality and providing efficient access must be
trash collection areas where it is disposed of as
incorporated.
indicated by the Waste Management narrative.
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals
including
are
transported by pharmacy personal to the
individual clinics in locked carts.
Narcotics are delivered to a narcotics locker,
which is usually located in a clean supply or
patient prep area, and is remotely alarmed to
the nearest nursing station.
VA DESIGN GUIDE
AMBULATORY CARE (Hospital Based)
PAGE 2-9
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