[Qualitative and quantitative performance of equipment and non-structural vulnerability in selected public hospitals in Tehran city during an earthquake]

ABSTRACT

One of the important tasks of medical centers is to provide emergency services to the injured during an earthquake. Therefore, these medical centers always should be prepared to deal with such circumstances. Non-structural elements are the important components of medical centers that should be considered. In this study, qualitative and quantitative performance of equipment and non-structural vulnerability of seven public hospitals in Tehran city have been evaluated during an earthquake. In this cross-sectional research, all public hospitals in Tehran city were studied including governmental or public, private, military and also social security. Using WHO/PAHO Standard Checklist, seven public hospitals were selected and evaluated by convenience sampling method in eleven sections. According to the results, the lowest functional level was observed in emergency exit systems, communication systems, furniture and equipment. The studied hospitals were at a satisfactory level in heating and cooling systems, ventilation systems of care units, fire detection and extinguisher. Although 56% of the mentioned hospitals were at a satisfactory level in overall assessment of performance in non-structural features, the critical, vital and effective sections of the hospitals were functioning at an average and some in even low levels of safety. Totally, the hospitals lacked a proper preparation in disaster in non-structural evaluation; furthermore, there was a standard instruction in non-structural immunization that hospitals should consider in preparation