Abstract
Introduction: Ensuring that individuals receive healthcare free from preventable harm is considered one of the most fundamental human rights, and patient safety is a key indicator of healthcare quality. The present study aimed to evaluate the status of patient safety culture among healthcare staff working in selected hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted among 385 healthcare professionals working in Al-Zahra, Ayatollah Kashani, Amin, and Issa Ibn Maryam Hospitals between 2024 and 2025. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire and the validated Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC). Descriptive and inferential statistics, including the chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and multivariable linear regression analysis, were used for data analysis with SPSS 22.
Results: The mean overall patient safety culture score was 40.15±13.26%, indicating a weak patient safety culture according to the AHRQ classification. Teamwork within units (58.9%) and organizational learning and continuous improvement (56.8%) had the highest scores, whereas non-punitive responses to errors (15.4%) and staffing adequacy (20.4%) had the lowest scores. Females had significantly higher patient safety culture scores than males (P=0.016), whereas no significant differences were observed across hospitals, age groups, or years of professional experience. Although the overall multivariable regression model did not reach statistical significance (P=0.052), female gender remained substantially associated with higher patient safety culture scores after adjustment for other covariates (P=0.002).
Conclusion: Patient safety culture in the studied hospitals was below the desirable level, with non-punitive responses to errors and staffing adequacy identified as the weakest dimensions, highlighting the need for targeted efforts to strengthen patient safety culture, particularly in areas requiring improvement.