Perception of safety of surgical practice among healthcare professionals who work in an operating room in ambulatory surgery centers in the United States: A retrospective analysis of survey data

Abstract

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated that the perception of teamwork and communication differs between healthcare professionals. It is unclear if the perception of safety of surgical practice in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in the United States (US) differ between healthcare professionals that work in the operating room (OR). MethodsBaseline surveys measuring the perception of safety of surgical practice among healthcare professionals who work in an OR in ASCs in the US were evaluated. Logistic regression was used to evaluate differences in the perception of safety of surgical practice by professional role. Differences in facility rating on patient safety by professional role were analyzed with a generalized linear model. All models were clustered by facility and adjusted for hours per week the respondent worked at the ASC. ResultsThe overall response rate was 67.9% (4719 respondents/6948 administered surveys) from 137 ASCs. The analysis was restricted to respondents who work in the OR (n=2713). The majority of respondents (59.0%, 1577/2671) rated their facility “excellent” on patient safety. Nurses and surgical technicians had significantly less favorable perceptions of safety of surgical practice when compared to physicians’ perceptions. Compared to physicians, all non-physician groups reported significantly less favorable facility rating on patient safety (all P<0.0001). ConclusionCompared to physicians, non-physicians were less likely to report positive perceptions of surgical safety, and they reported less favorable facility ratings on patient safety. These findings highlight the importance of improving team dynamics in the ambulatory surgery setting.