New Guidelines Address Patient Handling and Movement, Bariatric Accommodations, Cancer Treatment Facilities, Acoustics, and More
Chicago, Ill — The Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) is pleased to announce publication of the 2010 edition of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities. Updated every four years, the FGI Guidelines are currently used by more than 42 states and several federal agencies to regulate health care facility design and construction around the United States.
The 2010 revision cycle has resulted in a revised document with new material and updates to the language of the 2006 edition of the Guidelines. Completely new language includes material on preparation of a patient handling and movement assessment (PHAMA) as part of planning for health care facility projects; recommendations for the design of bariatric and medical oncology units and cancer treatment facilities; and guidance on acoustic design for health care facilities. A detailed white paper describing how to prepare a PHAMA will be available for download from the FGI Web site in January 2010, accompanying the release date of the 2010 edition.
Another significant change to the Guidelines is the incorporation of the 2008 edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities as Part 6 of the document. This merger is intended to eliminate any confusion caused by having two national ventilation standards for health care.
Additional highlights in the 2010 FGI Guidelines include:
– Updated requirements for the design of hand-washing stations
– Design information for technology and medical communication rooms
– A new appendix on performing patient safety risk assessments
– New material on selecting surfaces and furnishings
– Updated design for protective environment rooms
– New appendix on wayfinding features
– Design information for accommodating bariatric patients in the emergency department
– Movement of emergency department pediatric rooms and fast-track areas from the appendix to the main text
– Updated requirements for obstetrical facilities
– Revised organization and numbering to make similar requirements in different locations easier to find
The 2010 edition is being published in three formats—a bound book, a loose-leaf version for placement in a three-ring binder, and a searchable CD. For a purchase price of $168, the 2010 edition provides owners, clinical users, design professionals, constructors, and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) with a wealth of professional expertise as well as the full text of ASHRAE Standard 170, white papers on acoustics and on patient handling and movement, draft guidelines for critical access hospitals, and a resource guide on the selection of surfaces and furnishings for health care facilities. Instructions for ordering the 2010 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, and further information about FGI and the Guidelines revision process, are available on the FGI Web site at www.fgiguidelines.org.
About the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities
The FGI Guidelines are updated on a four-year cycle by the multidisciplinary Health Guidelines Revision Committee (HGRC). More than 100 individuals knowledgeable about health care practices and health facility design (doctors, nurses, administrators, infection preventionists, facility managers, architects, engineers, including representatives from the CDC, NIH, NIOSH, CMS, HUD, PHS, and the VA) and those who apply the document in the field (state and federal authorities having jurisdiction and the Joint Commission) serve on the committee.
About the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI)
Founded in 1998, the Facility Guidelines Institute provides leadership and continuity to the Guidelines revision process. (The multidisciplinary Health Guidelines Revision Committee remains solely responsible for the content of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities.) FGI functions as a contractual, fundraising, and coordinating entity to develop and enhance the content and format of the Guidelines document and provides ancillary services that encourage and improve its application and use. FGI invests all revenue derived from sales of the Guidelines to support the next revision cycle and to fund research in support of guidelines based on evidence.
About the Publisher
The Facility Guidelines Institute has partnered with ASHE, the Society for optimizing the health care physical environment, to publish the FGI Guidelines. As the largest personal membership group (PMG) of the American Hospital Association (AHA), ASHE represents a diverse network of professionals dedicated to their work in the health care industry, including health care facility managers, engineers, architects, and contractors. ASHE provides advocacy representation, education programs and products, and professional development opportunities to its members. For further information, visit www.ashe.org.
