Canadian Health Care Facilities

1.1 General

1.1.1

This Standard describes essential elements and specific requirements for the planning, design, and construction of HCFs. It applies to all facilities, public or private, that provide health care treatments, health-related services, or diagnostic testing services, regardless of type, size, location, or range of services. This Standard applies to the following facility types:

a) inpatient, outpatient, or combined hospitals;

b) facilities providing outpatient diagnosis and treatment services; and

c) specialty inpatient centres and residential care facilities.

Note: Owing to differences in terminology across the country, it is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of all facilities covered by this Standard. The facilities listed in Items a), b), and c), and in Table 1.1 are examples only. Additional examples are listed in Annex B.

1.1.2

This Standard applies to new facilities, temporary facilities, and to existing facilities undergoing addition or renovation. It also applies to research and testing facilities that perform medical procedures.

1.1.3

This Standard includes requirements for

a) planning and design principles, and the planning process;

b) site and facility development;

c) general functional service;

d) inpatient functional service;

e) diagnostic and treatment functional service;

f) support functional service;

g) common requirements for all facilities; and

h) building services and environmental design.

1.2 Exclusions

1.2.1

This Standard does not apply to veterinary facilities, funeral homes, or mobile health units.

Note: The exclusion for mobile health units applies to facilities that are on wheels and can be moved from place to place. A relocatable health or transportable unit [see the Note under Item c) in Table 1.1] refers to units that are placed in a particular location and remain there for an extended period of time.

1.2.2

This Standard does not address clinical practice.

1.2.3

This Standard does not include requirements for operation and maintenance of HCFs.

Note: This topic is addressed in CSA Z8002.

1.2.4

This Standard does not specify requirements for operational models, policies, and procedures.

Note: A HCF should provide the necessary environment so that services can be offered in accordance with the operational model. The design process begins with the HCF defining its expected operational model and activities. It then designs and constructs the physical infrastructure to support the defined model and activities.

1.3 Terminology

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.