Perception of patient safety culture in a surgical private center: evaluation to improve

Abstract

Introduction. The culture of patient safety is a fundamental pillar to improve the quality of health care. The objective of this study was to characterize the patient safety culture in a private health facility in Francisco Morazán, Honduras, during September-October 2023. Methods. Quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study in a private outpatient surgical care center. The sample included 34 health professionals with direct patient care functions, selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The patient safety culture was evaluated with the SOPSTM Questionnaire version 2.0, applied electronically in a private health center. Results. The best evaluated variables were: teamwork (77%), transfers and exchange of information (74%) and response to errors (71%). The variables with the lowest scores were work pressure and pace (54%), communication about errors (54%) and reporting of security events (55%). Organizational learning was rated at 69% and supervisor support at 67%. The overall patient safety rating was 64%. Conclusion. The employees' perception of the patient safety culture indicates that there are areas for improvement in the evaluated hospital, which should be improved in terms of pressure, work pace, communication about errors and reporting of safety events. The use of this questionnaire can help improve the safety culture in healthcare organizations.