[Patient safety culture in directors and managers of a health service].
OBJECTIVE
To assess patient safety culture in directors/managers.


METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from February to June 2011 among the executive/managing staff of the Aragón Health Service through semi-structured interviews.


RESULTS
A total of 12 interviews were carried out. All the respondents admitted that there were many patient safety problems and agreed that patient safety was a priority from a theoretical rather than practical perspective. The excessive changes in executive positions was considered to be an important barrier which made it difficult to establish long-term strategies and achieve medium-term continuity.


CONCLUSIONS
This study recorded perceptions on patient safety culture in directors, an essential factor to improve patient safety culture in this group and in the organisations they run.
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España. Electronic address: tgjulvez@gmail.com.
Teresa
T
Giménez-Júlvez
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España.
Ignacio
I
Hernández-García
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España.
Carlos
C
Aibar-Remón
Dirección Médica, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España.
Isabel
I
Gutiérrez-Cía
Servicio de atención al usuario de los sistemas de salud y de servicios sociales de Aragón, Departamento de Sanidad de Aragón, Zaragoza, España.
Mercedes
M
Febrel-Bordejé
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061214:Patient Safety; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*
Administrative personnel; Cultura organizativa; Gestión de la seguridad/organización y administración; Investigación cualitativa; Leadership; Liderazgo; Organisational culture; Patient safety; Personal administrativo; Qualitative research; Safety management/organisation and administration; Seguridad del paciente