title: Assessment of patient safety culture among personnel in the hospitals associated with Islamic Azad University in Tehran in 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient safety is an essential element in the quality of healthcare, and a clear knowledge of its culture in healthcare organizations will lead to both improved healthcare and patient safety. The aim of this study was to assess the patient safety culture at Islamic Azad University hospitals in Tehran, Iran, in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted on clinical and diagnostic staff in all Islamic Azad University hospitals in Tehran in June 2013. The international "Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture" questionnaire was used as the measurement tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In these hospitals, the overall positive score of patient safety culture was 35%. "Teamwork within units" (48% positive) was evaluated as reflecting the most knowledge of the aspects of patient safety culture, and "non-punitive response to error" (12% positive) was evaluated as reflecting the least knowledge of the aspects of patient safety culture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patient safety culture in the hospitals that were studied should be improved. This goal could be achieved by reinforcing the basics of patient safety culture by teaching the staff members about the aspects of a positive patient safety culture and encouraging them to incorporate these aspects in their day-to-day activities.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, PhD of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Unit, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moussavi
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Student in Health Policy, Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moghri
authors.affiliation: B.Sc. of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yavar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gholizadeh
authors.affiliation: M.Sc. Student of health care management, Department of Health Management and Economics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Atiyeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.affiliation: B.Sc. of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Unit, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sedigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Najjari
authors.affiliation: B.Sc. of Nursing. Booali Hospital, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Unit, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehmandust
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Student of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asghari
authors.affiliation: B.Sc. in Physics, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asghari
keywords: Hospital; Iran; Patient safety; Personnel