Assessment tool for hospital preparedness for heatwaves

To address the absence of a comprehensive instrument specifically designed to evaluate institutional preparedness, the Assessment Tool for Hospital Preparedness for Heatwaves (ATHP-HW) was developed with the support of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to provide a structured framework for evaluating hospital readiness for heatwaves. Its aims are to help hospitals identify strengths and gaps in preparedness, prioritize improvement actions, support institutional planning and decision-making, and strengthen health system resilience to extreme heat. The tool was built through a multi-stage methodology, beginning with a comprehensive scoping review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to identify evidence-based preparedness indicators, followed by the development of a draft scorecard refined through a two-round Delphi study involving national experts, an international content validity assessment by experts from six countries, and a national content validity assessment in Türkiye.

The finalized tool was field-tested in hospitals across three provinces affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, with internal consistency evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and demonstrating satisfactory reliability. The resulting ATHP-HW consists of 24 indicators organized under the Ten Essentials for Heat Resilience, each scored on a six-point scale (0–5) representing progressively increasing levels of preparedness, and is intended to be completed through a multidisciplinary institutional assessment involving hospital leadership alongside relevant clinical, technical, and administrative departments. Rather than serving as an accreditation instrument, the ATHP-HW is designed as a self-assessment and continuous quality improvement tool, enabling hospitals to monitor preparedness over time, identify priority areas for action, strengthen institutional learning, and support evidence-informed planning for future heatwave events.