Hospital preparedness in disaster-prone region: Analysis of nonstructural safety and disaster management using hospital safety index (HSI)

During a disaster, hospitals must sustain essential services for affected individuals, ensuring accessibility and full operation throughout all the disaster phases. Lhokseumawe in Aceh Province, Indonesia, faces moderate to high disaster risk, requiring comprehensive hospital preparedness in nonstructural aspects and disaster emergency management. This study aimed to investigate the nonstructural safety and disaster emergency management of hospitals in Lhokseumawe, Aceh Province, Indonesia, using the Hospital Safety Index (HSI). This study employed a mixed-method approach that integrated qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. Hospital preparedness was evaluated using the HSI with data collected from interviews and direct field observations. Statistical analysis of the differences between hospitals was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. The results showed that three sampled hospitals had a nonstructural safety ratio of 0.805 and a disaster emergency management score of 0.791, both in category “A,” indicating expected operational functionality during emergencies. However, significant vulnerabilities have been observed in fuel storage systems and fire protection indicators. There were no statistically significant differences between the hospitals in terms of nonstructural safety and disaster emergency response plans. Continuous improvements are necessary to ensure consistent preparedness and an efficient disaster response. HSI effectively identifies inadequacies and guides improvements in hospital preparedness.