By HFT Staff

The Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) recently opened the period for proposed changes to the 2022 Guidelines for Design and Construction. The proposal period ends Friday, June 30, 2023. The proposal period is the only opportunity to recommend changes to the 2022 guidelines. 

During the proposal period, FGI is encouraging users of the guidelines documents to suggest where their language could be improved for clarity, outdated requirements should be removed, or new types of facilities should be added. Proposals should support clinical practices, infection prevention measures, and minimum design requirements for additional and evolving care spaces to advance safe and effective patient and resident health care. 

The FGI proposal site will be accessible at www.fgiguidelines.net. The proposal period is open to all users of the guidelines documents, and all submitted proposals will be available for public review. 

Once the proposal period has closed, proposals and opinions will be reviewed and voted on by the 2026 Health Guidelines Revision Committee (HGRC). Proposals approved by the HGRC will be incorporated into the draft 2026 Guidelines for hospitals; outpatient facilities; and residential health, care, and support facilities, to be released for public review and comment next summer. 

It is critical that industry participants propose updates to the 2022 guidelines documents. Next year during the comment period, new proposals will not be considered. The HGRC will review suggestions submitted only on the approved changes that result from this proposal period. 

FGI is urging all those involved in planning, design and construction of health and residential care facilities to take advantage of this opportunity.