[Clinical safety and patient oriented care: descriptive study of 113 Spanish hospitals and similarities in other European countries].
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the stage of development of the Spanish acute care hospitals quality improvement systems. It also presents data on their achievement of some specific requirements related to clinical safety and patient oriented care. Additional data from seven other European countries are included, in order to provide a comparative reference for the analysis of results.


METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study developed in acute care hospitals with more than 100 beds from 8 European countries. Data was gathered using an on-line questionnaire that had more than 500 close questions. In order to validate the responses, a sample of the hospitals that had answered the questionnaire received an evaluation by external assessors.


RESULTS
A total of 113 public and private Spanish hospitals participated in the study, which represented 34% of the total group that met the inclusion criteria. Another 276 hospitals from 7 other countries also answered the questionnaire. The results associated with quality management, clinical safety and patient oriented care from both groups are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Improvements must be made in those areas where Spanish hospitals have a lower developmental level than the rest of the participating countries: public dissemination of results from external quality assessments, development of some key mechanisms to promote clinical safety and patient involvement in organisational management.
Vallejo
Paula
P
Instituto Universitario Avedis Donabedian, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España. pvallejo@fadq.org
Suñol
Rosa
R
Escaramis
Georgia
G
Torrontegui
Mikel
M
Lombarts
Kiki
K
Bañeres
Joaquim
J
D001064:Appendicitis / Q000628:therapy; D026661:Clinical Trials Data Monitoring Committees / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003133:Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires