Management of Health Care Services at Time of Natural Disasters

• Main Authors: Hamid Reza Khankeh, Rakhshandeh Mohammadi, Fazlollah Ahmadi, Sadat Seyyed Bagher Maddah, Maryam Ranjbar, Mohammd Reza Khodaei
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences 2006-07-01
• Series: Journal of Rehabilitation
• Subjects: Health care management; Natural disasters; Grounded theory; Planning; Coordination
• Online Access: http://rehabilitationj.uswr.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-48&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Objective: In this paper that is a part of a greater study, we tried to assess the factors that affected management of health care services at the time of disasters. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted by grounded theory. 16 participants consist of 4 nurses, 1 social worker, 1 psychologist ,2 psychiatrists, 1 general physician, 1 health professional , 1 epidemiologist, 1 master in health, 1 nurse aid and 3 Bam residents. All of them at least have one experience at disaster. 14 of them were male and 2 of them were female and their average age was 37. Semi-structured interviews were used for data gathering. All of interviews were transcribed verbatim (word by word) and simultaneously constant comparative analysis was used according to Strauss and Corbin's method. Results: The management was mentioned by participants of the study. Planning, organization, coordination and participation of the other countries were inferred in the interviews. Lack of planning and discipline at the health care delivery, undetermined duties, overlapping, in coordination between health staff and managers, self centrism, weakness of WHO at absorption and coordination humanitarian international assistances are the most important factors that hindered health care services at the time of disaster. Appropriate management with due attention to planning, preceding preparedness based on past experiences and information's obtained from assessment of affected region and deciding based on information, covering enough personnel, correct and fast job distribution, early communication, early coordination inter and between groups by using information, appreciating humanitarian international assistance and establishing good relationship with them, can facilitate health care services at the time of disasters. Conclusion: Acquired preparedness before the impact of disasters, consideration the role of national, provincial, regional and local planning, covering enough personnel, fast and correct job distribution for health care delivering, coordination of distributing personnel and equipments, coordination by central committee settled at the affected region, absorption international participation with good relationship, prepare good condition for health care services at disasters.