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Originally printed in the SpaceMed Newsletter Fall 2013 www.spacemed.com

Estimating the Size of an Outpatient Pharmacy Outpatient pharmacies, located within a hospital or in an ambulatory care center, typically fall into one of four categories ― minimal, small, medium, or large. Most outpatient pharmacies require one or more dispensing windows, a separate cashier window, waiting area, consult cubicle, retail display area, fill area, receiving and breakdown area, bulk storage room, an office/cubicle for the manager, and a staff toilet room. The primary determinant of an outpatient pharmacy’s size is the average number of daily prescriptions (scripts) that will be filled during the busiest eight-hour shift. This generally determines the numbers and sizes of rooms or areas and overall gross square feet. It should be noted that the size of the retail display area can vary significantly from the averages indicated in the comments column below.

Typical Pharmacy

Sizes

Number of Daily

Scripts

Average Department Gross Square

Feet (DGSF) Comments Minimal

<100

Daily Scripts 500 DGSF Includes one dispensing/cashier window, small

waiting with retail shelving, fill area, and associated support space.

Small

100 to 300 Daily Scripts

900 to 1,500 DGSF Includes two dispensing windows, a cashier window, waiting area with four seats, retail area (80 NSF), consult cubicle, fill area, and associated support space.

Medium 300 to 500 Daily Scripts

1,600 to 2,200 DGSF Includes four dispensing windows, a cashier window, waiting area with eight seats, retail area (120 NSF), consult cubicle, fill area, and associated support space.

Large 500+ Daily Scripts

2,300+ DGSF Includes five dispensing windows, two cashier windows, waiting area with ten seats, retail area (180 NSF), consult cubicle, fill area, and associated support space.

Note: Department gross square feet (DGSF) represents the "footprint" of a department or functional component and includes the net square feet (NSF) of the individual rooms as well as the space occupied by internal circulation corridors, walls/partitions, and minor utility shafts; DGSF excludes common areas such as shared public corridors and lobbies, elevator banks, stairwells, major mechanical spaces, and the space occupied by the building's exterior wall.

Source: SpaceMed Guide.