Evaluating the Applicability of the “Hospital Safety Index Guide” for the Sri Lankan Context

The healthcare systems of a country and its numerous institutions are of considerable importance during the whole lifecycle of a disaster. Therefore, it is crucial that the preparedness level of the hospital including its structures, systems, and stakeholders are identified during the pre-disaster period. Thereby their weaknesses can be found, and steps can be taken to reduce them. In this study, the definition and role of a hospital in Sri Lanka during a disaster has been investigated in the form of a questionnaire. Then the applicability of the Hospital Safety Index (HSI) Guide developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) was analyzed. As part of an ongoing study, pilot studies in two tertiary level hospitals in Sri Lanka were carried out. Based on the outcomes, some amendments to the existing checklist were proposed in order to better suit it for Sri Lankan hospitals and the expectations that the general public has of a “Safe Hospital”.