A National Study of Patient Safety Culture and Patient Safety Goal in Chinese Hospitals

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to measure the patient safety culture and the current practice of patient safety goals in China.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2020 and November 2021. The 12-dimensions Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire and the 14-items Survey on the Current Practice of Patient Safety Goal questionnaire were electronically distributed to 8164 healthcare providers across 26 provinces in China. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multivariate linear regression.

Results: A total of 8164 surveys were received, of which 7765 were valid and analyzed. The average positive response rate for the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture survey was 69.68% (43.41%-91.54%). The percentage of positive responses in 5 dimensions (organizational learning, teamwork within units, feedback about error, management support for safety, and teamwork across units) was above the control limits, and 3 (nonpunitive response to error, staffing, and frequency of event reporting) were below the control limits. The average positive response rate for the Survey on the Current Practice of Patient Safety Goal survey was 96.11%. Patient safety culture was positively related to the current practice of patient safety goals ( r = 0.34, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Our study concludes that although healthcare providers in China feel positively toward patient safety culture and practicably toward patient safety goals, considerable work is still needed to promote a patient safety movement.