Domain specific need assessment for Hospital Disaster Preparedness: a systematic review and critical interpretative synthesis

Background During disasters, the most pressing demands are those related to health, and hospital preparedness is an area that require special attention. Hospitals are viewed as resources that must be proactively utilized in the event of a disaster. If national and local systems, particularly health systems, are unprepared to deal with disasters, the vulnerability of both individuals and communities is amplified. The unexpected surge in demand for important health services caused by disasters frequently overwhelms health systems and institutions, leaving them unable to perform the life-saving measures that are required. This study aims to understand various domains of hospital disaster preparedness by critically synthesizing qualitative evidence from selected research on the topic. Methods Electronic data base from PubMed, Google Scholar, key hospital disaster related journals was explored with search syntax focusing on hospital related disaster preparedness. Peer reviewed English articles published from January 2011 were systematically selected and critical interpretative qualitative synthesis was done to have comprehensive understanding of the said phenomenon. Results A total of 29 articles were included in the systematic review. Major resultant domains describing disaster preparedness were Human Resource, Logistics And Finance, Response, Communication, Coordination, Patient Care, Evacuation and Personal Protection. Some domains were more emphasised than others, this information can help prioritizing the action based on need especially in the times of disaster. Conclusion Disaster preparedness needs a comprehensive approach including context specific optimization with the effective use of available resources.