scope:

General

The HCF shall be planned and designed to produce an environment that facilitates the patient's access to receiving care and the caregiver's capacity to provide appropriate and effective care. The HCF shall be designed so that people of all abilities are able, without modification to their normal conduct, to access the services, work in the facility, use the facility, or assist staff in accomplishing their work.

Notes:

(1) Accessibility includes

(a) design intended to minimize barriers for persons with various disabilities;

(b) consideration of the physical, cognitive, social and emotional capabilities, limitations, needs, and wants of all people who will use, work in, or visit the HCF;

(c) provision of effective and appropriate aids to wayfinding;

(d) arrangement of services to minimize patient travel from outside the HCF and between destinations within the HCF;

(e) organization of staff workflow and provision of supplies to meet the needs of all patients;

(f) facilitation of family support; and

(g) information and communications.

(2) Accessibility addresses not only the primary needs of persons with disabilities, but any supporting elements that a person might require, such as mobility devices, handlers, or assistive devices.

(3) Patients or staff who encounter a barrier in accessing or providing care can experience increased stress levels, which can have a negative impact on clinical outcomes. All effort should be made to reduce or remove such barriers.

(4) In designing for accessibility in the HCF, building codes should be considered as representing minimum requirements only. Building codes do not capture the needs of all users in the health care setting.

(5) Accessibility also addresses the barriers in use of the HCF and equipment such as wayfinding systems and transfer onto examination equipment.