Aaron Asibi Abuosi1, Collins Atta Poku2,3, Priscilla Y A Attafuah4, Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba5, Patience Aseweh Abor1, Adelaide Setordji1, Edward Nketiah-Amponsah6. 1. Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana Business School, Legon, Ghana. 2. Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. 3. Department of Research, Education, and Administration, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. 4. Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. 5. Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. 6. Department of Economics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Recognizing the values and norms significant to healthcare organizations (Safety Culture) are the prerequisites for safety and quality care. Understanding the safety culture is essential for improving undesirable workforce attitudes and behaviours such as lack of adverse event reporting. The study assessed the frequency of adverse event reporting, the patient safety culture determinants of the adverse event reporting, and the implications for Ghanaian healthcare facilities. METHODS: The study employed a multi-centre cross-sectional survey on 1651 health professionals in 13 healthcare facilities in Ghana using the Survey on Patient Safety (SOPS) Culture, Hospital Survey questionnaire. Analyses included descriptive, Spearman Rho correlation, one-way ANOVA, and a Binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: The majority of health professionals had at least reported adverse events in the past 12 months across all 13 healthcare facilities. Teamwork (Mean: 4.18, SD: 0.566) and response to errors (Mean: 3.40, SD: 0.742) were the satisfactory patient safety culture. The patient safety culture dimensions were statistically significant (χ2 (9, N = 1642) = 69.28, p < .001) in distinguishing between participants who frequently reported adverse events and otherwise. CONCLUSION: Promoting an effective patient safety culture is the ultimate way to overcome the challenges of adverse event reporting, and this can effectively be dealt with by developing policies to regulate the incidence and reporting of adverse events. The quality of healthcare and patient safety can also be enhanced when healthcare managers dedicate adequate support and resources to ensure teamwork, effective communication, and blame-free culture.
INTRODUCTION: Recognizing the values and norms significant to healthcare organizations (Safety Culture) are the prerequisites for safety and quality care. Understanding the safety culture is essential for improving undesirable workforce attitudes and behaviours such as lack of adverse event reporting. The study assessed the frequency of adverse event reporting, the patient safety culture determinants of the adverse event reporting, and the implications for Ghanaian healthcare facilities. METHODS: The study employed a multi-centre cross-sectional survey on 1651 health professionals in 13 healthcare facilities in Ghana using the Survey on Patient Safety (SOPS) Culture, Hospital Survey questionnaire. Analyses included descriptive, Spearman Rho correlation, one-way ANOVA, and a Binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: The majority of health professionals had at least reported adverse events in the past 12 months across all 13 healthcare facilities. Teamwork (Mean: 4.18, SD: 0.566) and response to errors (Mean: 3.40, SD: 0.742) were the satisfactory patient safety culture. The patient safety culture dimensions were statistically significant (χ2 (9, N = 1642) = 69.28, p < .001) in distinguishing between participants who frequently reported adverse events and otherwise. CONCLUSION: Promoting an effective patient safety culture is the ultimate way to overcome the challenges of adverse event reporting, and this can effectively be dealt with by developing policies to regulate the incidence and reporting of adverse events. The quality of healthcare and patient safety can also be enhanced when healthcare managers dedicate adequate support and resources to ensure teamwork, effective communication, and blame-free culture.
Authors: Peter Griffiths; Antonello Maruotti; Alejandra Recio Saucedo; Oliver C Redfern; Jane E Ball; Jim Briggs; Chiara Dall'Ora; Paul E Schmidt; Gary B Smith Journal: BMJ Qual Saf Date: 2018-12-04 Impact factor: 7.035