Baseline Assessment of Patient Safety Culture in a Large Saudi Arabian Multisite Medical Network: Benchmarks, Outcomes, and Predictors

What the paper says

This study provides a baseline assessment of patient safety culture across a large, multisite Saudi Arabian hospital network, while examining how safety culture domains predict key safety outcomes. It also benchmarks performance against national and international datasets to identify improvement priorities, using the HSPSC Version 2.0 framework. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) Version 2.0 was administered to 3,551 healthcare professionals across eight branches of the Saudi German Hospital Group located in seven different cities. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive relationship between ten safety culture domains and two key outcomes. Benchmarking was performed using national (SPSC) and international (AHRQ) datasets. Organizational learning, teamwork, and managerial support significantly predicted higher safety ratings (E1), while response to error and organizational learning were associated with reporting frequency (D3). SGH exceeded national averages in teamwork (75%) and learning (75%), but fell below international benchmarks in communication openness, staffing pace, and error response. This study offers evidence-based insights that support continuous learning and a non-punitive response to error. The findings underscore the value of safety culture analytics in guiding leadership engagement, designing targeted interventions, and advancing alignment with international patient safety standards.