Facilities frequently request information about Operating Room (OR) construction and design requirements. QUAD A accredited facilities must follow all local, state, and federal regulations, and industry standards related to OR construction, climate/HVAC, flooring, etc. We do not provide specifications since we accredit many types of facilities.
QUAD A standards at Section 2: Facility Layout & Environment address facility requirements and Standard 3-A-1 addresses overall safety requirements:
QUAD A is committed to establishing minimum guidelines to provide safe and effective outpatient procedure care. The Facility must comply with all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), federal, state and local codes and regulations. The facility must comply with the stricter regulation (whether it is the QUAD A Standard or local, state, or federal law).
The Quad A Accreditation Standards Manuals can be accessed on our website at:
QUAD A | The Global Accreditation Authority. Please see the manual for your facility type.
- Medicare Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) Accreditation Standards Manual V8.2, Effective February 1, 2023,
- Office-Based Surgery (OBS) Accreditation Standards Manual V15.2, Effective February 1, 2023,
- Office-Based Procedural (OBP) Accreditation Standards Manual V5.2, Effective February 1, 2023
Whether your facility is Medicare-certified or not, each state may have state-specific requirements for a given healthcare setting. We also suggest that you verify requirements with your state building authority and State Department of Public Health. We encourage you to consider working with an architect that specializes in healthcare environments to assist in navigating the local and state building requirements for any new construction or renovation projects in a surgical setting.
Below are some resources that be helpful:
- Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI)
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
- American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
- American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE)
- AORN Toolkit for OR Design CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Since 1980, QUAD A (a non-profit, physician-founded and led global accreditation organization) has worked with thousands of healthcare facilities to standardize and improve the quality of healthcare they provide – believing that patient safety should always come first.
