OBSS Design Considerations

There are many considerations to take into account when adding an OBSS suite to a private practice office. One of them is the real estate investment. Acquiring more space than required is an unnecessary cost, however under-estimating the space requirements is also a costly mistake.

Rules of thumb

To guide private practitioners, we share the following rules-of-thumb in estimating the space needed for an OBSS operating room:

At minimum, we find that 800 SF should allow for a class B operating suite.
1200 SF should be sufficient for a class C operating suite.
For the operating room within the suite, a space that is unencumbered by structural columns, piping, or other building services is best, but a room that is at least 15 feet wide and longer in length can typically work out well for a certified OR.

Feasibility will depend on the availability space's relationship to entrances, adjacent medical suite offices, available plumbing, heating and cooling, and proximity to exterior walls.