Expert: Paul S. Brown, AIA - 3/7/2005

Question
Mr. Brown:
For a social service project I am involved in we are in charge of the design of a clinic for Spina Bifida patients. I was wondering if you could refer me to good web sites or books that deal with the specific needs or suggestions for designing medical clinics. Thank you.

Answer
You should probably start with this document: Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health
Care Facilities. (I don't know if the 2001 edition is the most recent; it gets updated periodically).  Here is a link to a place it can be purchased:
http://www.constructionbook.com/xq/ASP/ProductID.3459/id.454/qx/default2.htm
(Paste that entire link into your web browser) $75 for one copy.
And here is the descriptive 'blurb' from that website:

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Facility Guidelines Institute introduced the 2001 edition of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities in April 2001.
Considered an industry standard by architects, engineers, and health care professionals, the Guidelines set minimum program, space, and equipment needs for clinical and support areas of hospitals, nursing homes, freestanding psychiatric facilities, outpatient and rehabilitation
facilities, and long-term care facilities. The document also establishes minimum engineering design criteria for plumbing, medical gas, electrical, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems.

Another basic resource is "Time Saver Standards", look for the edition that covers medical projects.  Any good-sized public library will have these in their reference section.  You can also use the resources of a more specialized architectural library, if there is one on the campus of a university near you that has an architectural degree program.  These libraries will usually not let you take out any books if you are not a member of the university community, but they are usually very willing to let you conduct research using their resources.

Good Luck.  Yours is an important cause!