Reza Nemati - Corresponding author: Student Research Committee, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran
Fatemeh Fathi - Student Research Committee, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran
Mohammad Amin Ghorbanpour - Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Health Deputy, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran

Background: Since there are various factors with different importance that determine environmental health status of hospitals, judging and prioritizing the required corrective actions using the current qualitative checklists is problematic and, in some cases, deceptive. This study explored a decision support model for hospital environmental health status to establish a quantitative method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) using the Iranian National Hospital Evaluation checklist. Methods: The research was done in two separate phases; first, score weighting of the criteria and subcriteria (questions) in the existing checklist using the AHP, and second, a field study of the environmental health status of the hospitals using a weighted checklist. In the field study, the environmental health status of the studied hospitals was sored using checklist questions, and finally, the final scores of each criterion were calculated and aggregated to determine the environmental health status of the studied hospitals. Results: Among the main criteria, the infection control criteria with a final weight coefficient of ۰.۵۳۷۱, was the most important factor, and the building criteria with a final weight coefficient of ۰.۰۳۴۱ had the lowest weight in determining the environmental health status of the hospitals. On average, the environmental health status of the studied hospitals was about ۷۶%, which are in a moderate status. Conclusion: The environmental health status of Iran’s hospitals has typically been evaluated only qualitatively and without considering their weight importance. The present study provides a flexible method for quantitative assessment of the environmental health status of hospitals.

Analytic hierarchy process, Environmental health, Health services, Hospitals, Infection control