Developing a Green Management Standards Model for an Infectious Disease Hospital: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract BACKGROUND: A green hospital recognizes the relationship between human health and the environment, incorporates this knowledge into its management, strategies, and operations, and significantly contributes to improving the quality of life in the community. The presence of infectious diseases affects the process of implementing green management standards. The purpose of this study was designing a model for implementing green hospital standards in Masih Daneshvari Hospital, a specialized infectious disease hospital, based on the Content Analysis approach. METHODS: Exploratory content-analysis, open-ended, and face-to-face interviews were used to elicit participants’ perspectives. Considering maximum variety, 18 managers participated in interviews. Using a content analysis approach, transcripts were coded with MAXQDA 10 software alongside manual analysis. The resulting codes were collated into subcategories, which were then merged into main categories to explore the dimensions of the concept. RESULTS: Analysis of qualitative data from 18 participants led to the identification of 97 codes, 21 subcategories, and finally 6 categories: including causes, strategies, facilitating condition, outcome, contextual elements, and barrier. Policymaking, planning, organizational structure, and organizational communication were recognized as causal factors; clarification of guidelines, training and awareness, structural modifications, organizational collaboration and empathy, resource management, waste and wastewater reduction, and motivation and participation were identified as strategies. Utilizing sustainable equipment and reusable items, along with digitalization and technology adoption, were identified as facilitators, while cost reduction and environmental harm reduction were considered as outcomes. In addition, job satisfaction, awareness, and attitude toward optimal consumption, awareness, and attitude toward infection control and waste segregation, resource supply and distribution management, and infectious waste management were identified as contextual factors, while economic and structural barriers were recognized as obstacles. CONCLUSION: Present research identifies the challenges faced by managers in establishing green hospitals, highlights the prerequisites, required strategies, and the necessity of overcoming barriers. It can draw the attention of policymakers at the Ministry of Health to the current state of hospitals in Iran and the need for laying the groundwork for implementing green hospital standards, especially in infectious disease hospitals.