MDCH Health Facilities Engineering Section (HFES)Releases New 2007 Minimum Design Standards for Health Care Facilities

See the HFES website:    www.michigan.gov/hfes  to download a copy.

 

Until the 2007 MDS are approved by the legislature and governor, project sponsors can choose between the 1998 MDS and 2007 MDS on a project by project basis.  The choice must be made at the time of initial project submission.

 

Summary of Significant Changes in the New 2007 Min Design Standards for Health Care Facilities in Michigan >From the 1998 Edition

 

This summary can be located in the first few pages of the new standard which is available online in pdf format the HFES website:  www.michigan.gov/hfes

 

Overall:

• Issued only as a PDF file with changes indicated by a vertical line

• Appendix reformatted to immediately follow the referenced text and highlighted
• General update to match current trends and technologies
• Previously issued Interpretive Bulletins have been incorporated
• Patient privacy provisions reinforced
• Commissioning reinforced
• Expansion/refinement of Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA)
• Clarified definitions and specifications for “Handwashing facilities”

Hospitals:

• Staff multipurpose (conference/lounge) room required to be available to all clinical departments
• Added day/dining requirements for Long Term Acute Care hospitals
• Protective Isolation Room specifications added
• Line of sight requirement in ICU’s dropped with physiological monitoring
• NICU space requirements increased per bassinet and maximum number of bassinets per room decreased
• Removed requirement for separate housekeeping closet for full term and special care nurseries
• Added requirement for windows in psychiatric day/dining and seclusion rooms
• Specified detail and finish requirements in psychiatric units
• Prohibition for floor drains in surgical cystoscopy/endoscopy rooms
• Dropped requirement for surgical and delivery locker rooms to be on restricted corridor
• Reinforced requirements for flash sterilization facilities
• Specified required amount of surgical equipment storage
• Added requirement for patient decontamination
• Created standards for various procedure rooms
• Specified arrangement of central stores
• Clarified eyewash requirements
• Made a two elevator minimum for inpatient access
• Addressed HVAC energy recovery units
• Require air conditioning in patient rooms
• Reduced the separation distance between air intakes and most exhaust outlets
• Prohibit plenum return in patient care areas
• Require greater net air flows from/to various Critical Environments
• Converted filter efficiency ratings from ASHRAE 52.1 % dust spot to MERV ratings
• Specified minimum on-site boiler fuel requirements
• Clarified the required number of medical gas/vacuum in various rooms
• Simplified lighting table with some reductions
• Development of electrical receptacle table
• Development of table with clarification of nurse call systems
• Clarified/expanded scope for emergency power systems
• Added window requirements for physical rehabilitation day/dining rooms
• Added graspability requirements for handrails in physical rehabilitation units

Long Term Care:

• Reduced handwashing requirements in private rooms that share a toilet room
• Require handwashing in all new/renovated semi-private rooms
• Added requirements for chronic ventilator dependent care units
• Added graspability requirements for handrails
• Added prohibition against hot exposed surfaces (must be < 125 F)
• Clarified the requirements for individual through wall heating/cooling units
• Increased emergency heating and power requirement to 24 hours in the event of loss of electrical service
• Added requirement for air conditioning in resident areas and provision for maintaining air conditioning in a portion of the building in the event of loss of electrical service as per federal standards

Chapter 9:

• Reorganized/simplified to reflect only Freestanding Surgical Outpatient Facilities
• Specified required amount of surgical equipment storage
• Boiler requirements reduced
• Reference back to new lighting, receptacle, and nurse call tables

Chapter 11:

• Entirely new chapter for freestanding psychiatric hospitals