Assessing The Status Of Hospitals In Hamadan Iran With The Health Promoting Hospital Standards

Abstract

Background — Changing public expectations for hospitals, as well as the increasing number of patients with chronic illnesses requiring ongoing support, along with high incidence of staff exposure to physical, mental and psychological risks, have led hospital councils to focus on health promotion as a vital component for both patients and the staff. The World Health Organization (WHO) introduces health promotion in healthcare to improve hospital efficacy. Due to the lack of sufficient information on the status of HPH standards in western Iran, the present study was designed to examine the status of HPH in Hamadan, a western province of Iran. Material and Methods — This study examined 20 hospitals in Hamadan, Iran, using the HPH self-assessment questionnaire developed by WHO. The questionnaire consists of five standards, including management policy (Standard 1), patient assessment (Standard 2), patient information and intervention (Standard 3), promoting a healthy workplace (Standard 4), and continuity and collaboration (Standard 5). Results — The overall hospital HPH score was 75.36±11.33 (out of 100). Among the five standards, patient information and intervention received the highest score (86.66±11.27), while promoting a healthy workplace received the lowest score (67.50±17.88). Public hospitals had a statistically significantly higher score on management policy (p=0.011). Similar trend was observed when comparing HPH with non-HPH network facilities (p=0.041). Other comparisons did not yield any significant differences (p>0.05). Conclusion — We established that hospitals in Hamadan, Iran, were only partially compliant with the Promoting Health Hospitals (HPH) program. The study highlighted the need to create a healthier workplace for hospital staff and indicated that this is a top priority for the examined hospitals. This scientific breakthrough provides important insight into how Iranian hospitals can take steps to create a healthier workplace for their employees, which will ultimately lead to better outcomes for patients.