Strategic planning and designing of a hospital disaster manual in a tertiary care, teaching, research and referral institute in India.

BACKGROUND As per the "Disaster Management Act, 2005" of India, it is mandatory for government hospitals in India to prepare a disaster plan. This study aimed to prepare a disaster manual of a 1 900 bed tertiary care hospital, in consultation and involvement of all concerned stakeholders. METHODS A committee of members from hospital administration, clinical, diagnostic and supportive departments worked on an initial document prepared according to the Act and gave their inputs to frame a final disaster manual. RESULTS The prepared departmental standard operating procedures involved 116 people (doctors and paramedical staff), and were then synchronized, in 12 committee meetings, to produce the final hospital disaster manual. CONCLUSIONS The present disaster manual is one of the few comprehensive plans prepared by the stakeholders of a government hospital in India, who themselves form a part of the disaster response team. It also helped in co-ordinated conduction of mock drills.