<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec>
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>Patient safety is a crucial element of quality healthcare, and endeavours to enhance it are vital for attaining universal health coverage and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the perception of patient safety culture among staff at the Community Health Centre Ljubljana (CHCL).</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>A cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2022. All CHCL staff (N=1,564) from different professional groups were invited to participate in an anonymous electronic survey using the validated Slovenian version of the “Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture” (MOSPSC). Mean percent positive scores for all items in each composite were calculated.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The final sample included 377 participants (response rate, 24.1%), most of whom were women (91.5%, N=345) with different professional profiles. The mean age of the participants was 44.5 years (SD 11.1) with a mean work experience of 20.1 years (SD 12.1). The percentage of positive overall MOSPSC composite scores was 59.6%. A strong patient safety culture perception was identified in the following dimensions: Information exchange with other settings (93.5%), Organisational learning (90.2%), List of patient safety and quality issues (88.1%), Patient care tracking/follow-up (76.2 %) and Teamwork (75.0%). Weak patient safety culture was identified in the dimensions of Work pressure and pace (10.7%), Leadership support for patient safety (27.1%), Communication openness (40.9%), Office processes and standardisation (48.2%) and Overall ratings on quality and patient safety (49.4%).</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>CHCL leadership should address weaknesses, redesign processes, and implement strategies to reduce patient safety incidents. Establishing a just culture that encourages employees to report errors fosters transparency and facilitates learning from errors.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Background
Patient safety is a crucial element of quality healthcare, and endeavours to enhance it are vital for attaining universal health coverage and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the perception of patient safety culture among staff at the Community Health Centre Ljubljana (CHCL).


Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2022. All CHCL staff (N=1,564) from different professional groups were invited to participate in an anonymous electronic survey using the validated Slovenian version of the “Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture” (MOSPSC). Mean percent positive scores for all items in each composite were calculated.


Results
The final sample included 377 participants (response rate, 24.1%), most of whom were women (91.5%, N=345) with different professional profiles. The mean age of the participants was 44.5 years (SD 11.1) with a mean work experience of 20.1 years (SD 12.1). The percentage of positive overall MOSPSC composite scores was 59.6%. A strong patient safety culture perception was identified in the following dimensions: Information exchange with other settings (93.5%), Organisational learning (90.2%), List of patient safety and quality issues (88.1%), Patient care tracking/follow-up (76.2 %) and Teamwork (75.0%). Weak patient safety culture was identified in the dimensions of Work pressure and pace (10.7%), Leadership support for patient safety (27.1%), Communication openness (40.9%), Office processes and standardisation (48.2%) and Overall ratings on quality and patient safety (49.4%).


Conclusions
CHCL leadership should address weaknesses, redesign processes, and implement strategies to reduce patient safety incidents. Establishing a just culture that encourages employees to report errors fosters transparency and facilitates learning from errors.

Perception of Patient Safety Culture at the Primary Care Level: The Case of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Zaznavanje Kulture Varnosti Pacientov Na Primarni Ravni Zdravstvenega Varstva: Raziskava V Zdravstvenem Domu Ljubljana

Background
Patient safety is a crucial element of quality healthcare, and endeavours to enhance it are vital for attaining universal health coverage and...

Perception of Patient Safety Culture at the Primary Care Level: The Case of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Jan 03, 2024

Page range: 21 - 29

Received: Oct 16, 2023

Accepted: Nov 27, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2024-0004

Keywords
Safety culture, Patient safety, Quality healthcare, Primary healthcare, Health promotion

© 2024 Tina VIRTIČ POTOČNIK et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Perception of Patient Safety Culture at the Primary Care Level: The Case of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Jan 03, 2024

Page range: 21 - 29

Received: Oct 16, 2023

Accepted: Nov 27, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2024-0004

KeywordsSafety culture, Patient safety, Quality healthcare, Primary healthcare, Health promotion

© 2024 Tina VIRTIČ POTOČNIK et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Safety culture, Patient safety, Quality healthcare, Primary healthcare, Health promotion