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SpaceMed Newsletter

Fall 2009

Volume 2, Number 4

Estimating the Space Required for Outpatient Physical/ Occupational Therapy

Description	Estimated Department Gross Square Feet (DGSF)	Comment

Small (Two to three PT/OT staff on primary shift)	1,100 to 1,400 DGSF	Assumes two to three private treatment cubicles, small gym at 400 net square feet, two to three staff workstations, and support space.
Average (Four to seven PT/OT staff on primary shift)	2,500 to 3,200 DGSF	Assumes four to seven private treatment cubicles, medium gym at 800 net square feet, four to seven staff workstations, and support space.
Large (Eight or more PT/OT staff on primary shift)	4,000+ DGSF	Assumes eight private treatment cubicles, larger gym at 1,000 net square feet, eight staff workstations, and support space.

Note: DGSF represents the "footprint" of a department or functional area and includes the net square feet of the individual rooms as well as the space occupied by internal circulation corridors, walls/partition, 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 (Second Edition).

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