Assessing facility and space resources in an academic health science center: a process that works.

Background: The authors served as external consultants to an academic health science center in the eastern United States to identify current and future space needs in response to reported deficiencies, especially in the medical school. This work established a framework to identify, prioritize, and plan future facility and space improvement projects.

Methods: The authors used several methods to quantify and profile current space needs and future space requirements, including data and plan reviews, surveys and questionnaires, and on-site facility tours and inspections. Most important, the consultants brought their collective experience as well as their proprietary planning database and guidelines to formulate findings and develop practical recommendations.

Results: The engagement substantiated faculty's concerns and perceptions that additional space was necessary for many existing programs, especially the medical school. However, specific space needs, by department or program, frequently differed from faculty's perceived needs as well as those of the university administration.

Conclusions: Several important conclusions dealt with the client's need to develop and formalize the space planning and management process. Appropriate guidelines for space planning purposes for this academic health science center also were identified as were the "next steps" to build on this successful study.