Preparedness of Hormozgan province hospitals against disasters in 2016

Abstract

Introduction: As the most critical component in medicine, hospitals ought to be prepared for disasters. Ideally, all hospital must have a readily executable plan in case of disaster. This study aimed to identify and prioritize factors which were effective in hospitals disaster preparedness in Hormozgan Province in 2016. Method: This study was conducted with descriptive-survey method in three steps. First, library studies to identify the main factors of hospital disaster preparedness. The second stage, Delphi method was used to determine the effective factors, and the last step was Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) used to prioritize it. Data were collected with a researcher-made 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The questionnaire validity assessed through the expert judgment, and the reliability was measured by Pearson correlation. SPSS 22 was used to analyze the data. Results: The most important factors in the preparation stage was the formulation of Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) of treatment in the province (weight 0.02895). Other factors including creation, reinforcement, and advancement of Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at the province level (weight 0.02745), and providing logical strategies to deal with crises and environmental incidents (weight 0.02716) followed. Additionally, a comprehensive annual exercise program for exercising and maneuvering from home to the reference hospital (weight of 0.02496), and the center of disaster management training and practice program at the province (weight 0.02185) were the next priorities. Conclusion: It is necessary for hospitals in Hormozgan Province to establish and strengthen its disaster preparedness with elements recognized in this study utilized as proper guidance.