Guidelines for the Evaluation of Small Health Facilities

Based on the experience gained with the hospital safety index (HSI) in hospitals, a new assessment tool has been developed by PAHO for less complex health facilities, including primary care hospitals providing basic specialties (obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and general surgery), hospitals with less than 20 beds or without inpatient services, health centers, polyclinics, clinics, etc.

The guide outlines the most common risks for health facilities of medium and low complexity. It is designed to ensure that a facility will be able to continue providing services after an adverse event. It identifies the most important structural, nonstructural, and functional vulnerabilities and addresses interventions needed to increase a facility’s safety. It has been prepared for the reality of Latin America, and users are encouraged to adapt the contents according to the situation in their country.

The guide is currently available in Spanish only, the English version will be published shortly.