2018 FGI Guidelines Update Articles

Members of the 2018 FGI Health Guidelines Revision Committee have written articles describing and explaining changes from the content of the 2014 edition of the FGI Guidelines documents to the 2018 edition. Following are links to a number of these pieces:

Design Distinctions for Exam, Procedure and Operating Rooms

Planning advice based on the FGI Guidelines requirements helps to ensure optimally designed spaces

by Bryan Langlands, AIA, ACHA, EDAC

An understanding of appropriate uses for exam, procedure, and operating rooms can lead to spaces designed and constructed for their intended use, reducing costly over-building of unneeded infrastructure and eliminating under-building of spaces that do not support their intended use. This article uses diagrams to illustrate the author’s points. (For more information on this topic, see the FGI application guidance on determining appropriate room use.)

FGI Provides Updated Guidance on Designing Mobile Medical Units

Task force revisits Guidelines as number of higher-acuity patients being treated in mobile units increases

by Skip Gregory, NCARB

Learn how the Health Guidelines Revision Committee updated the Guidelines chapter on mobile units in the 2018 edition to support provision of safe spaces for patient care.

Associated sidebar | Mobile-unit revisions bring clarity to manufacturers: New standards help to ensure quality and consistency of mobile medical units

FGI Guidelines Help to Redefine Imaging Spaces

Classification system helps architects meet planning requirements

by Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE (MRSC™)

This article from the July 2018 Health Facilities Management magazine describes the new imaging room classification system introduced in the 2018 edition to help health care organizations and designers develop imaging rooms that meet current needs but can flex in the future as imaging technologies change.

Associated sidebar | Tips for using the new FGI imaging classifications: Five ways to streamline adoption of new criteria for imaging spaces

FGI Lays Out Telemedicine Guidelines

New document takes proactive approach to set minimum standards and guidance for telemedicine settings

by Ellen Taylor, PhD, AIA, EDAC

Minimum requirements for design of spaces where telemedicine services will be provided were added to the 2018 edition, along with some recommendations in the appendix for improved functionality. This new content is discussed in this May 2018 Health Facilities Management article.

FGI’s New Guide Responds to Growing Use of Outpatient Facilities

Stand-alone outpatient facility reference issued as part of 2018 revision cycle

The 2018 edition of the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction was published as three documents: Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals, Guidelines for Design and Construction of Outpatient Facilities, and Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities. This article from the January 2018 issue of Health Facilities Management magazine describes the reasoning behind this division and what users will find in the new Outpatient Guidelines document.