521 CMR 13.00: MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES 13.1 GENERAL Medical care facilities shall comply with 521 CMR, except as specified or modified in 521 CMR 13.00. Medical care facilities are buildings in which people receive physical or medical treatment or care and where persons may need assistance in responding to an emergency and where the period of stay may exceed 24 hours. They shall include but not be limited to hospitals, clinics, sanitariums, alcohol and drug detoxification centers, nursing homes, and buildings in which one or more doctors provide health services similar to those provided by any of the above. Doctors' and dentists' offices, counseling offices, offices of chiropractors, psychologists, and psychiatrists and places providing health services that do not require overnight accommodation shall comply with the requirements of 521 CMR 11.00:  COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. 13.2 PUBLIC USE AND COMMON USE AREAS All public and common use areas shall be accessible and shall include but are not limited to areas where services are provided to the public, waiting areas, changing rooms, diagnostic and treatment areas, exam rooms, offices and meeting rooms, food services, gift shops, and emergency facilities, and toilet rooms. 13.2.1 Where examining tables are provided in exam rooms, they shall be adjustable in height from 15 inches (381mm) above the floor. 13.2.2 Counters across which transactions are conducted with patients and the public shall comply with the following: a. Location: The counter shall be on an accessible route. b. Length: A portion of the counter or an auxiliary counter shall be at least 36 inches (36" = 914mm) in length. c. Height: That portion of the counter shall not exceed 36 inches (36" = 914mm) above the finished floor. d. Clear floor space: Shall be provided in front of counter. 13.3 PATIENT BEDROOMS Shall comply with one or more of the following, as applicable: 13.3.1 In hospitals, general purpose hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and detoxification facilities, a total of at least 10% of the units shall be designed as follows: 5% of the patient bedrooms with toilets shall be designed as Group 2B Units and 5% of patient bedrooms and toilets shall be designed as Group 1 Units. 13.3.2 Hospitals and rehabilitation facilities that specialize in treating conditions that affect mobility, or units within either that specialize in treating conditions that affect mobility, 5% of the patient bedrooms with toilets shall be designed as Group 2B Units and the remainder of the patient bedrooms and toilets shall be designed as Group 1 Units. Said rooms shall be proportionately distributed as to type of room, i.e. private, shared, etc. 13.00:   MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES 13.3.3 In long term care facilities and nursing homes, 5% of the total number of patient bedrooms with toilets shall be designed as Group 2B Units and 45% of the patient bedrooms with toilets shall be designed as Group 1 Units. 13.3.4 Alterations to Patient Bedrooms: When patient bedrooms are being added or altered as part of a planned renovation of an entire wing, a department, or other discrete area of an existing medical facility, a percentage of the patient bedrooms that are being added or altered shall comply with 521 CMR 13.3.1. The percentage of accessible rooms provided shall be consistent with the percentage of rooms required to be accessible by the applicable requirements of 521 CMR 13.3.1, 13.3.2 and 13.3.3 until the number of accessible patient bedrooms in the facility equals the overall number that would be required if the facility were newly constructed. 13.4 ENTRANCES At least one accessible entrance that complies with 521 CMR 25.00:  ENTRANCES, shall be protected from the weather by canopy or roof overhang. Such entrances shall incorporate a passenger loading zone that complies with 521 CMR 20.00:  ACCESSIBLE ROUTE. 13.5 DOORWAYS All bedrooms and bathrooms shall comply with the requirements of 521 CMR 26.00:  DOORS AND DOORWAYS. Exception: Entry doors to acute care hospital bedrooms for inpatients shall be exempted from the requirement in 521 CMR 26.6, Maneuvering Clearance if the door opening is at least 44 inches (44" = 1118mm) wide. 13.6 MANEUVERING SPACE IN BEDROOMS Each bedroom shall have adequate wheelchair turning space complying with 521 CMR 6.3, Wheelchair Turning Space. In rooms with 2 beds, it is preferable that this space be located between beds. Each bedroom shall have adequate space to provide a minimum clear floor space of 36 inches (36" = 914mm) along each side of the bed and to provide an accessible route to each side of each bed. 13.7 PATIENT TOILET ROOMS Where toilet rooms are provided as a part of a patient bedroom, each accessible patient bedroom as defined in 521 CMR 13.3, Patient Bedrooms shall have an accessible toilet room that complies with requirements of 521 CMR 42.00:  GROUP 1 BATHROOMS (for Group 1 patient bedrooms) or 521 CMR 44.00:  GROUP 2B BATHROOMS, (for Group 2B patient bedrooms). Accessible bathrooms shall be on an accessible route. 13.8 TUB AND SHOWER ROOMS Where shower rooms or tub rooms are provided, at least one of each per floor must be accessible. 13.00:   MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES 13.9 CHANGING ROOMS Shall comply with the requirements of 521 CMR 33.00:  DRESSING, FITTING AND CHANGING ROOMS. 13.10 AUXILIARY VISUAL ALARMS Patient bedrooms shall be equipped with one of the following: a. A visual alarm connected to the building emergency alarm system; or b. A standard 110volt electrical receptacle into which such an alarm can be connected and a means by which a signal from the building emergency alarm system can trigger such an auxiliary alarm. 13.11 TELEPHONES Telephones permanently installed in patient rooms shall have volume controls complying with 521 CMR 37.00:  TELEPHONES. An accessible electrical outlet within 48 inches (48" = 1219mm) of a telephone connection shall be provided to facilitate the use of an assistive listening system, which shall be provided by the facility upon request. 13.11.1 Deaf or hard of hearing patients shall be provided with a decoder and a TTY, on request, on a loaner basis. 13.12 TELEVISIONS Where televisions are provided in patient bedrooms, the facility shall provide, upon request, a television amplifier and a closed caption decoder. 13.13 PUBLIC TOILET ROOMS All public toilet rooms shall be accessible. 13.00:   MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES NON-TEXT PAGE ?? ?? ?? ?? 521 CMR:   ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD 1/27/06 521 CMR - 63