Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services
Division of Health Facilities & Services
Health Facility Evaluation Section
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SUBMISSION
OF
PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS
FOR
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
Authority: Act 368, P.A. 1978
BHS/HFS-553 1/98
FOREWORD
This document is offered to architects, engineers, owners and consultants to assist in obtaining plan
approval and a permit for construction, renovation or conversion of a health care facility. Plan
approval and permit(s) for construction must be obtained before construction activities commence
for Nursing Homes, Homes for the Aged, and Freestanding Surgical Outpatient Facilities. In
addition, Hospital projects over $1 million must also obtain plan approval and a construction permit
(also recommended for hospital projects under $1 million as well as End Stage Renal Disease-
dialysis centers).
A Certificate of Need (pursuant to Act 368, Public Acts 1978 as Amended) may be required for the
following projects: Hospital and Nursing Home construction for clinical and non-clinical areas
where costs are above defined threshold limits; certain covered services (i.e. operating rooms, MRI,
CT scanner, bone marrow transplantation, etc.); Freestanding Surgical Outpatient Facilities; and new
or relocated operating rooms and hospital and nursing home beds.
Architectural and engineering plans should be developed to conform to the detailed operational
program developed by the facility operating staff with guidance from the design team.
When architectural/engineering plans are submitted for review, they will be assigned to an engineer
and processed in chronological order of receipt. One complete set of documents must be submitted
for each review. All plans and specifications submitted for review must be sealed by an architect
and/or engineer, licensed to practice in the State of Michigan.
Other units of government may require plan approval and the issuance of certificates, permits, or
licenses. The architect and/or engineer is responsible for the submit