UAB Synopsis, Vol. 27, No. 33, September 8, 2008
UAB Health System is emphasizing the involvement of patients and their families in their clinical safety while in the hospital, Assistant Vice President and Chief Patient Safety Officer D. Marcus Montgomery, RN, JD, says. “Evidence is building to show that patient satisfaction is linked to patient safety,” he says, citing a report in Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare (May/June 2008) that analyzes two Press Ganey survey instruments. The Press Ganey Inpatient Survey asks the patient about important hospital events, processes, people, and how well their psychosocial needs were addressed throughout a typical hospital visit, starting with admission. The Patient Culture Survey assesses a hospital’s culture of safety by asking staff members about their individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, and patterns of behavior.
The article analyzes 44 instances in which Press Ganey clients used both instruments, representing ratings of more than 50,000 patients and 20,000 hospital staff. A matrix yields 1748 intercorrelations of survey items.
“The survey shows strong correlations between employee perceptions of patient safety and of patients’ assessment of their satisfaction,” Montgomery says.
Areas in which Safety Culture Survey items correlated strongly with Inpatient Survey items include staffing, handoffs and transitions, and an atmosphere of blame. Inpatient Survey items that show a strong relationship with scores on the Safety Culture Survey include ratings of hospital treatment of visitors, admission and discharge processes, and noise levels in and around the room.
“The analysis cannot establish causality but indicates that the hospital should pay attention to adequate staff levels, good communication practices that minimize ‘dropping the ball,’ and an atmosphere that recognizes the systemic nature of error,” Montgomery says. “From the patients’ perspective, the safety-satisfaction link relates to organizational efficiency at admission and discharge, service extras for family and visitors, and a tranquil, quiet atmosphere that promotes healing.”
UAB Hospital participates in Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s annual Employee Culture of Patient Safety survey. “Most other Alabama hospitals also participate, permitting comparison benchmarking,” he says.
“We also are proud to promote UAB Hospital’s Speak-Up campaign, which is fashioned after a program of The Joint Commission. We provide a contact number [*55] so patients and their families may immediately voice any safety concerns to the Patient Safety Office,” he says.