Assessing Hospital Safety Index in the Iranian Hospitals

Background: Hospital preparedness for accidents and disasters is vital in maintaining and promoting community health. However, the country’s hospitals are not well prepared for disasters. The hospital safety index (HSI) was ۴۲% in Iranian hospitals in ۲۰۱۴. This study aims to investigate the HSI in Iranian hospitals in ۲۰۲۰ and to provide solutions to improve it. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed for the country’s hospitals. The results recorded in the Farsi version of the hospital safety index (FHSI) software in ۲۰۲۰ were used. Hospital teams used the FHSI checklist (۱۵۱ options) in three areas of structural, non-structural, and functional safety to assess the hospital and register in the FHSI system. The registered results of the hospitals were collected based on the medical universities of the country. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of ۶۰۴ hospitals registered safety index information in the system. The mean score of the HSI of the country’s hospitals was ۶۰.۸۴. A total of ۱۳۰ hospitals (۲۱.۵%) had low safety levels, ۴۱۸ hospitals (۶۹%) had moderate safety levels, and ۵۶ hospitals (۹.۲%) had high safety levels against disasters. The mean scores were in structural safety (۵۷.۲۰), non-structural (۶۵.۲۴), and functional safety (۶۳.۳۶). Hamedan (۷۶.۸۱) and Kerman (۷۵.۶۱) Provinces had the highest score, and Yazd (۵۳.۷۴), and Lorestan (۵۷.۳۱) Provinces had the lowest score in the country. Conclusion: The HSI against disasters in ۲۰۲۰ compared to ۲۰۱۴ has reached ۶ out of ۱۰ and we have about a ۴۱.۵% increase in safety (from ۴۳ to ۶۰.۸۴). However, the HSI is moderate. Strengthening the safety and resilience of hospitals, improving the safety of medical equipment, improving the knowledge and skills of managers in the scientific development of preparedness, response and recovery programs, funding and support of crisis programs, attention to security programs, pollution, and evacuation are among the solutions of development and enhancement of hospital preparedness against disasters. Coresponding author: Shiva Yousefian, E-mail: shivayousefian۲۰۰۳@yahoo.com You can also search for this author in:  PubMed

Keywords:

Safety index , Hospital , Risk management , Disaster