USA: Healthcare leaders, staff differ on safety culture views

US clinical and nonclinical healthcare workers have an upward-trending perception of safety culture, but physicians and leaders do not agree, according to a Press Ganey report.

Press Ganey, a US company that focuses on patient satisfaction surveys, found in its annual safety culture trends report that senior management perceptions of all safety culture metrics are lower. Overall safety scores are down 0.04 points, prevention and reporting decreased 0.02 points, pride and reputation declined 0.05 points, and resources and teamwork are down 0.04 points. 

The report analysed 2022 data from 813,900 healthcare workers across 194 systems and 3,279 facilities.

"Senior management safety culture scores are typically higher than those of operational management, suggesting a more positive perspective among those at the highest levels of provider organizations," the report said. "Yet the continued downward trajectory of senior management scores stands out as significant." 

Among physicians, pride and reputation fell 0.12 points. Their perceptions of overall safety declined 0.06 points, prevention and reporting is down 0.03 points, and resources and teamwork is down 0.05 points. 

Other healthcare employees had higher perceptions of these metrics except for pride and reputation. Also, "fewer employees today say they would recommend their organization for care than in previous years," Press Ganey found. 

Read full story

Source: Becker's Hospital Review, 21 March 2023