Development of an Instrument for Evaluating the Implementation of Occupational Health Programmes in Hospitals

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Healthcare Management
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Hospitals present significant occupational health risks for workers.
• Effective risk management is crucial for ensuring a healthy hospital environment.
• Existing assessment tools may not adequately address hospital-specific occupational health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a tailored assessment instrument for hospital occupational safety and health units in Indonesia.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of hospital programs in protecting workers from identified hazards.
• To provide a tool for semi-quantitative assessment of occupational health service implementation.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study involving in-depth literature review.
• Data collection through interviews and field observations in diverse hospital settings.
• Instrument development based on identified risk factors and validation via expert focus group discussions.

Main Results:

• Identified key occupational health risk factors contributing to hospital worker morbidity and mortality.
• Developed a prototype assessment instrument with seven sections and 53 statements.
• Validated the instrument through expert consensus, resulting in a tool for semi-quantitative assessment.

Conclusions:

• The developed instrument is a strategic tool for enhancing occupational health service effectiveness in hospitals.
• Sustainable improvement requires regulatory support, management commitment, and community involvement.
• The tool supports the creation of a safe, healthy, and productive hospital workplace.