Estimating Surgery Suite Space Based on the

Number of Operating Rooms

Originally printed in the
SpaceMed Newsletter
Spring-Summer 2015
www.spacemed.com

Sometimes a preliminary space estimate is needed to evaluate location alternatives, conduct a feasibility study, or develop a preliminary cost estimate for construction or renovation. Once the number of operating rooms (ORs) is determined,
an estimate of the total footprint required for the surgical suite can be made using
the range of departmental gross square feet (DGSF) or department gross square
meters (DGSM) per OR shown in the table below.
Aside from the economies of scale achieved by larger surgical suites, the largest
single factor contributing to the overall size of the surgery suite is the size and specialization of the individual ORs. For example, a surgical suite with specialty operating rooms all sized at 600 NSF (55.7 NSM) would require an additional 500
DGSF (46.5 DGSM) per OR over a suite with general operating rooms. In addition
to the incremental space for the larger operating rooms, additional storage space is
generally required for specialty equipment. Furthermore, the design of a surgical
suite requires the use of a large net-to-gross space conversion factor, which further
compounds incremental space increases for individual rooms.
The next factor that contributes to the overall DGSF (DGSM) per OR is the proportion of outpatients and the type of patient care spaces to be provided in the prep
and Phase II recovery areas. A higher percentage of outpatients treated in the surgical suite increases the number of prep and Phase II recovery spaces, which, in
turn, increases the overall DGSF (DGSM) per OR. The use of larger private rooms
for presurgery preparation and outpatient Phase II recovery also requires more
space.

Type of Suite

Outpatient Surgery Suite

Estimated DGSF (DGSM)

Per Operating Room

3,000 to 3,500 (278.7 to 325.2)

Hospital-Based Surgery Suite:

< 35% Outpatients

2,800 to 3,000 (260.1 to 278.7)

~ 50% Outpatients

3,000 to 3,500 (278.7 to 325.2)

> 65% Outpatients

3,200 to 3,500 (297.3 to 325.2)

Note: Department gross square feet/meters (DGSF/DGSM) represents the "footprint" of a department or functional
component and includes the net square feet/meters (NSF/NSM) of the individual rooms as well as the space occupied by
internal circulation corridors, walls/partitions, and minor utility shafts; DGSF excludes common areas such as shared public
corridors and lobbies, elevator banks, stairwells, major mechanical spaces, and the space occupied by the building's
exterior wall.

Source: SpaceMed Guide (Third Edition).

2015.8.2

Copyright SpaceMed

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