Our team supported the Department of Health through the Health Emergency Management Bureau in developing two e-learning courses under the Hospitals Safe from Disasters initiative from 2021 to 2022. The project focused on strengthening the capacity of hospital executives and managers to ensure hospitals remain structurally, non-structurally, and functionally safe during emergencies.

Understanding What Hospitals Needed Most

We began with a nationwide Learning and Development Needs Assessment involving hospital executives and managers. The assessment showed that executives needed more training on leadership, preparedness, disaster risk management, and putting safety plans into action. Managers played key roles in implementing standards, leading safe hospital assessments, managing surge capacity, and organizing team trainings during emergencies such as typhoons, earthquakes, armed conflict, and the COVID pandemic.

Designing Practical and Engaging E-Courses

Using the findings, we created two interactive e-learning courses tailored for executives and managers. The Executive Course featured modules on hospital functionality, disaster preparedness, risk reduction, localizing safety frameworks, and action planning. The Managerial Course covered HSFD standards, emergency response, recovery operations, and integrating public health measures into hospital protocols.

We consulted with technical working groups, health officials, and hospital representatives to ensure the content reflected real-world challenges and aligned with national guidelines.

Testing and Refining Through Practice

The Executive Course pilot took place in January 2022 with participants from sixteen hospitals. It combined online sessions with tabletop exercises where executives designed response plans for earthquakes, pandemics, and typhoons.

From February to March 2022, the Managerial Course ran for seventy four participants representing DOH, local government, and private hospitals. Participants completed modules on preparedness and recovery, then presented action plans covering operations, command systems, and resource mobilization.

We held post-training reviews to revise and finalize course content based on feedback and evaluations. Both courses are now hosted on the DOH Academy and available for use by hospitals across the country.

Preparing Hospitals to Save More Lives

This project helped equip hospital leaders with the tools and confidence to respond to disasters effectively. We believe these e-courses will support long-term efforts to keep hospitals safe, responsive, and fully functional when communities need them the most.

Get in touch with us if you would like to learn more about this project or access the full documentation.