ASSESSMENT OF PATIENT SAFETY AT AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS

Abstract

Background: Patient safety is a critical component of health care quality. Therefore, all health-care professionals have obligations to provide safe and qualified health care to avoid unintentional harm to patients. Objective: Assessment the levels of patient safety inside the studied departments of Al-Azhar University Hospitals. Material and methods: The present descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from first of September, 2014 until the end of August, 2016. Data were collected using standards checklist, adapted from World Health Organization Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) to assess patient safety in hospital, through observation, interviews, and reviewing documents in selected hospitals. Hospitals were classified into three levels of low (lower than 50%), average (5o-70%), and high (higher than 70%) based on the compliance level with standards of patient safety. Results: The overall compliance level of patient safety standards was evaluated low in the studied hospitals, 45% in New Damietta Hospital and 46.4% in Al- Hussein Hospital. The leadership and management domain was evaluated low in the studied hospitals. Moreover, it is better in New Damietta Hospital (41.4%) than Al- Hussein Hospital (40%). The safe evidence-based clinical practice domain was evaluated average in the studied hospitals. Moreover, it was better in Al- Hussein Hospital (61.4%) than New Damietta Hospital (57.9%).Conclusion: The overall compliance level of patient safety standards was evaluated low in the studied hospitals. None of the studied hospitals assessed achieved the 20 critical patient safety standards that are necessary to enroll a hospital in the PSFHI. Necessary investments in strategic and operational planning should be considered in order to achieve 100% standards.