Standards Alert 025: PACT Exam Room/Consultation Room Door Hardware and Room Staff Indicator

This document is a Standards Alert issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Construction & Facilities Management, dated April 30, 2025. The alert establishes standardized specifications for door hardware and room status indicators in Examination/Consultation Rooms within VA facilities utilizing the PACT Space Module design layout. The PACT Space Module features a centralized Teamwork Area flanked by Exam/Consult Rooms, each containing two doors: one providing patient corridor access and one providing staff access to the Teamwork Area.

The new standards establish two hardware sets. Hardware Set HW-2L (Patient Corridor Entry) specifies a mortise lock (ANSI/BHMA F02 Privacy) with latch bolt operated by lever from either side, and dead bolt operated by thumb turn inside the room and by key/similar device for emergency release from the corridor side. Hardware Set HW-3A (Teamwork/Staff Area Access) includes an office lock (F04-MOD with occupancy indicator and thumb turn on staff side), manual locking mechanism without PIV card access, and exiting directions on the patient-side door interior. The alert also mandates installation of a Room Status Indicator—a hinge pennant system with colored flags mounted on the wall adjacent to the staff-side door to communicate room occupancy and service requirements. The hardware specifications are detailed in referenced documents PG-18-01 (Master Construction Specifications) and PG-18-14 (Room Finishes, Door, and Hardware Schedule). Contact information is provided for Gary Fischer and Jessica Lemmon for implementation questions.