Improving safety culture in health care. Implications of individual and institutional variability

PhD ceremony: Ms. T.A. Listyowardojo, 16.15 uur, Aula Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Improving safety culture in health care. Implications of individual and institutional variability

Promotor(s): prof. A. Johnson

Faculty: Behavioural and Social Sciences

The focus of patient safety research should be on understanding differences between groups to mediate organizational learning regarding safety. We thus investigated and found differences in perceptions towards organizational practices that can influence patient safety, or “safety culture”, between health care professional groups. We also found that demographic characteristics of health care workers (HCWs) can be linked to response rates of the safety culture survey, and thus should be considered in conducting surveys among HCWs. Differences in risk perception of general health hazards between health care professional groups were also found and need to be taken into account for successful implementation of safety regulations in health care. The findings of the thesis show that organizational efforts to improve patient safety should be tailored to the target group as areas for improvement are likely to differ among groups.