Measuring Safety Culture: Application of The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture to Radiotherapy Departments Worldwide

Publication date: Available online 16 August 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology
Author(s): Sarah Leonard, Anita O'Donovan
BackgroundMinimising errors and improving patient safety has gained prominence worldwide in high risk disciplines such as radiotherapy. Patient safety culture has been identified as an important factor in reducing the incidence of adverse events and improving patient safety in the healthcare setting.PurposeThe aim of distributing the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) to radiotherapy departments worldwide was to assess the current status of safety culture, identify areas for improvement and areas that excel, examine factors which influence safety culture and to raise staff awareness.Materials and MethodsThe safety culture in radiotherapy departments worldwide was evaluated by distributing the HSPSC. A total of 266 participants were recruited worldwide from radiotherapy departments and included radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, physicists and dosimetrists.ResultsThe positive percent scores for the 12 dimensions of the HSPSC varied from 50% to 79%. The highest composite score amongst the 12 dimensions was teamwork within units and the lowest composite score was handoffs and transitions.ConclusionThe results indicated that health care professionals in radiotherapy departments felt positively towards patient safety. The HSPSC was successfully applied to radiotherapy departments and provided a valuable insight into areas of potential improvement such as teamwork across units, staffing and handoffs and transitions. Managers and policy makers in radiotherapy may use this assessment tool for focused improvement efforts towards patient safety culture.



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