Building or renovating a facility
The medical director must:
- provide written notice to CPSBC at least 180 days before the start of the construction or renovation
- copies of the proposed construction or renovation plans, and
- other information and records the NHMSFAP Committee may request
Facilities must adhere to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z8000 standard for the planning, design and construction of health-care facilities.
Pre-construction
Engage CPSBC and an interdisciplinary design team (IDT) early in the planning process, prior to purchasing or leasing a space and before submitting building permit applications.
Early consultation with CPSBC and an experienced health-care IDT helps ensure the planned facility can support the full scope of intended services and reduces the risk of delays or limitations. Follow these steps for a more efficient accreditation process.
- Make sure there is a least one CPSBC licensee leading this project
- This person is usually the intended facility's medical director
- The project leader (CPSBC licensee) may request an information package for more information
You should have a plan regarding:
- procedure types (e.g. orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, endoscopy)
- level of anesthesia used (e.g. general anesthesia, procedural sedation, local anesthesia only)
- number of procedure and/or operating rooms
- special equipment needed (e.g. intra-procedural X-ray, laser)
- patient populations (e.g. pediatrics)
- procedure volume
You need to retain an IDT comprised of:
- architect
- infection control professional
- functional planners
- engineers
- construction professionals
The IDT should be experienced in the planning, design and construction of ambulatory care centres, such as nonhospital facilities, and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards for health-care infrastructure such as Z8000, HVAC, and medical gas pipelines.
You will need to purchase and/or have access to and review the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards, including Z8000, HVAC, and electrical.
Your IDT needs to conduct a site evaluation to verify if the desired site location:
- is suitable for the intended scope of services
- provides the necessary space for the build out
- can be designed and constructed in conformance with the CSA standards
As part of the site evaluation, the engineers also need to conduct a technical review of the site’s mechanical and electrical systems (e.g. plumbing and HVAC) to determine whether they can come into conformance with CSA standards.
Review relevant policies
We advise you to review these specific NHMSFAP policies before starting your renovations.
| Resource | Topic |
|---|---|
| Policy | Renovations and New Construction to a Facility |
| Policy | Interdisciplinary Design Team Membership |
| Policy | Facility Design Assessment |
Ready to build a new facility?
Use this quiz to see if you are ready to move onto the next step in the process.