An overview of patient safety climate in the VA.
OBJECTIVE
To assess variation in safety climate across VA hospitals nationally.


METHODS
Data were collected from employees at 30 VA hospitals over a 6-month period using the Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations survey.


METHODS
We sampled 100 percent of senior managers and physicians and a random 10 percent of other employees. At 10 randomly selected hospitals, we sampled an additional 100 percent of employees working in units with intrinsically higher hazards (high-hazard units [HHUs]).


METHODS
Data were collected using an anonymous survey design.


RESULTS
We received 4,547 responses (49 percent response rate). The percent problematic response--lower percent reflecting higher levels of patient safety climate--ranged from 12.0-23.7 percent across hospitals (mean=17.5 percent). Differences in safety climate emerged by management level, clinician status, and workgroup. Supervisors and front-line staff reported lower levels of safety climate than senior managers; clinician responses reflected lower levels of safety climate than those of nonclinicians; and responses of employees in HHUs reflected lower levels of safety climate than those of workers in other areas.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first systematic study of patient safety climate in VA hospitals. Findings indicate an overall positive safety climate across the VA, but there is room for improvement.
Hartmann
Christine W
CW
Center for Health Quality, Outcomes and Economic Research, A VA Center of Excellence, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. christine.hartmann@va.gov
Rosen
Amy K
AK
Meterko
Mark
M
Shokeen
Priti
P
Zhao
Shibei
S
Singer
Sara
S
Falwell
Alyson
A
Gaba
David M
DM
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology