Topic: Designing your Medical Facility. The guidelines for building and remodeling a medical center evolve each year. As a doctor, you don’t always have the time to keep up with the latest Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) guidelines or other government coding. Before starting a new medical construction project, speak to a contractor who’s already familiar with hospital-outpatient regulations.
Designing your Medical Facility to FGI Code
Whether you operate a San Fernando Valley dentist office or a Beverly Hills reconstructive surgery clinic, it’s important to keep up with all the latest updates in hospital-outpatient guidelines. The FGI provide design and construction standards that affect lighting, security installations, room space, furniture specs and other important features. These all share the common goal of providing the safest, most effective “patient-centered” experience.FAQ
If you own or operate a surgery center or other outpatient clinic, then you should confirm that all medical design elements comply with FGI guidelines. A copy of their hospital/outpatient guidelines can be purchased and downloaded from the FGI website. An experienced medical construction contractor can also answer most of your questions.Who are the FGI?
“We’re an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing guidance for the planning, design, and construction of hospitals, outpatient facilities, and residential health, care, and support facilities. We oversee the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction revision process and publication, fund research, and offer resources that support the development of safe, effective health and residential care built environments. FGI partners with numerous other organizations to help develop the Guidelines and other practical, evidence-informed publications.” (Excerpt from the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) webpage)Which medical facilities are included in the FGI guidelines?
The Facility Guidelines Institute organizes their set of rules into two groups: hospitals and outpatient centers. Within each group, however, are discrepancies in specifications. A general hospital waiting room would naturally have a different set of design guidelines from that of a psychiatric center, even though they both fall under the category of “hospital.” The following is a list of all types of medical facilities: Hospitals- General hospitals
- Freestanding emergency departments
- Critical access hospitals
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Rehabilitation hospitals and other facilities
- Children’s hospitals
- Primary care facilities
- Freestanding outpatient diagnostic and treatment facilities
- Freestanding birth centers
- Freestanding urgent care facilities
- Freestanding cancer treatment facilities
- Outpatient surgical facilities
- Office-based procedure and operating rooms
- Endoscopy facilities
- Renal dialysis centers
- Outpatient psychiatric centers
- Outpatient rehabilitation therapy facilities
- Mobile, transportable, and relocatable units
- Dental facilities
What construction changes should I make to comply with the FGI?
Depending on the state of your medical facility, you may require a modest renovation or a multi-stage construction project. Your medical contractor can walk you through these steps. Here are examples of some design and construction features that may need attention:- Patient room sizes and ratio
- Location and size of bathrooms, waiting rooms, communal halls, seclusion rooms
- Ceiling height and acoustic quality
- Floor finishes
- Dimensions for flooring, windows, walls, doors
- Light fixtures
- Environment, therapeutic setting
- Safety risks
- Furniture specifications
- Signage