title: A scrutiny of tools used for assessment of hospital disaster preparedness in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In emergencies and disasters, hospitals are among the first and most vital organizations involved. To determine preparedness of a hospital to deal with crisis, health system requires tools compatible with the type of crisis. The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of tools used for assessment of hospitals preparedness for major emergencies and disasters in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review study, all studies conducted on hospital preparedness to deal with disasters in Iran in the interim 2000-2015 were examined. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to assess focus of studies for entry in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 36 articles obtained, 28 articles that met inclusion criteria were analyzed. In accordance with the WHO standards, focus of tools used was examined in three areas (structural, nonstructural, and functional). In nonstructural area, the most focus of preparation tools was on medical gases, and the least focus on office and storeroom furnishings and equipment. In the functional area, the most focus was on operational plan, and the least on business continuity. Half of the tools in domestic studies considered structural safety as indicator of hospital preparedness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that tools used contain a few indicators approved by the WHO, especially in the functional area. Moreover, a lack of a standard indigenous tool was evident, especially in the functional area. Thus, to assess hospital disaster preparedness, the national health system requires new tools compatible with scientific tool design principles, to enable a more accurate prediction of hospital preparedness in disasters before they occur.
authors.affiliation: Nursing PhD Candidate, Health Management Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Esmail
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heidaranlu
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebadi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardalan
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Health in Emergency and Disaster, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Evin, IR Iran; Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khankeh
mesh_terms: D000389:Air Conditioning; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000592:standards*; D004190:Disasters; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital; D006361:Heating; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D013685:Telecommunications; D014691:Ventilation; D014881:Water Supply