A survey of patient safety culture: A Tool for Improving Patient Safety in Healthcare Providers Service Organizations

Patient safety is one of the main factors in quality of services provided by a health system. Patient safety culture plays a key role in improvement of patient safety, reduction of medical errors, and prevention of adverse events in health care organizations. Thereby, the present study is aimed to survey patient safety culture in hospitals of Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences. This research was a cross sectional study that conducted on all qualified staff of hospitals affiliated with Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences in 2013. Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire was used to assess patient safety culture. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS (16), using Chi-Square test and logistic regression model. Total score average of patient safety culture was 25.50±9.52. The results showed that among the twelve dimensions the highest and lowest scores were obtained by the supervisor/ manager expectations & actions promoting patient safety (score rate 45%) and the reporting frequency of adverse events (score rate 15%) respectively. According to logistic regression model there was also significant relationship between the patient safety culture and direct contact with the patient, employment duration in hospital, and current unit (p<0.05). Total average of patient safety culture and scores of all twelve dimensions were lower than the acceptable criteria. Patient safety culture in the studied hospitals urgently needs enhancement and improvement. So, creating policies to institutionalize and enhance patient safety culture among the staffs are recommended.