Evaluation of the Culture of Safety and Quality in Pediatric Primary Care Practices.

Abstract

The purposes of this article were to describe the perceptions of the culture of safety in pediatric primary care and evaluate whether organizational factors and staff roles are associated with perceptions of the culture of safety. We conducted a secondary data analysis using 2020 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture to examine the culture of safety and quality in pediatric primary care practices. We used descriptive statistics and calculated differences in perceptions of patient safety and quality based on practice size, ownership, and staff roles using bivariate and logistic regressions. The sample included 99 pediatric primary care practices and 1228 staff (physicians n = 169, advanced practice providers n = 70, nurses n = 338, and administration/management n = 651). The "teamwork" domain had the highest positive ratings (≥81.6% positive responses), whereas the "work pressure and pace" domain had the lowest positive ratings (≤28.6% positive response). There were no differences in perceptions of safety or quality based on practice size or ownership. However, there were differences based on staff roles, specifically between administration/management and direct care staff. Overall, perceptions of the culture of safety and quality in pediatric primary care practices were positive. Differences in perceptions existed based on staff role. Future studies are needed to determine whether differences are clinically meaningful and how to narrow differences in perceptions among staff and improve of the culture of safety as a mechanism to improve the safety and quality of pediatric primary care.