Architect Selected to Design New Office Based Surgery Facility

Bernstein & Associates, Architects (www.bernarch.com) has been selected to design a new, private medical office suite, to conform to the new office-based surgery regulations.

Many states have adopted the new office based surgery regulations into law. Specific regulations and deadlines vary by state.

New York State office based surgery regulations, as an example, were adapted into law through NYS Public Health Law section 230-d. This law pertains to "Licensees” (physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants) who perform invasive or surgical procedures using more than minimal sedation.

The deadline for office based surgery facilities to conform to the new regulation occurred on July 14, 2009. So a licensee who fails to practice in an accredited setting after July 14, 2009 may be guilty of professional misconduct. Regulated practices, as defined in the new law, include any "surgical or other invasive procedure, requiring general anesthesia, moderate sedation, or deep sedation, and any liposuction procedure, where such surgical or other invasive procedure or liposuction is performed by a licensee in a location other than a hospital [...] excluding minor procedures and procedures requiring minimal sedation."

In New York State, as in many states, practitioners have the option of conforming to one of three accreditation bodies, each of which has its own set of guidelines: The Joint Commission (JCAHO), the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in hospital design, healthcare design and medical office design. Within the specialty of medical office design, this healthcare architecture firm has developed an understanding and expertise in design medical offices to meet the new office based surgery guidelines.

For Office Based Surgery Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-office-based-surgery/

For more information about the office based surgery, please contact well known healthcare architect, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com

New Article on Mail Order Pharmacy Design Published

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article about mail order pharmacy design. The article was published on Pharmacy Design (www.pharmacydesign.org), the website focused on pharmacy design.

The article discusses the following pharmacy design concepts for a mail order pharmacy:

- an aesthetically pleasing pharmacy environment, combined with a focus on pharmacy workflow and pharmacy functionality
- creation of pharmacy “pod” workstations
- pharmacy pod storage
- pharmacy pod touch screen computer
- use of pharmacy counting machines, located close to each pod for increased prescription workflow
- an efficient pharmacy storage and pharmacy shelving system to house drug overstock
- provision of excess pharmacy shelving to accommodate company and stock volume growth
- custom controlled substance cabinets disguised to look identical to regular cabinets to prevent theft in the event of a break in. These cabinets are located in a central, clear area for constant monitoring and easy access.
- provision for future addition of pharmacy automation technology, as well as the addition of new pharmacist/technician teams.

To view this article: go to www.pharmacydesign.org

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, *Bernstein & Assoc., Architects - PLLC* is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories, with a sub-specialty in the design and construction of USP 797-compliant pharmacy facilities. Over the last three years, the firm has designed over (20) usp 797-compliant pharmacies.

For Pharmacy Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For more information about pharmacy design and construction, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, AIA
Principal
Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com