The public's perceptions of patient safety in healthcare.

Abstract

Background: Patient safety during medical treatment is a central issue for health policymakers and medical teams. In this context, both the Israeli and global health systems, are witnessing an increase in the appreciation of the importance of safety indicators for quantitative measurement of treatment safety. Although an important consideration, we did not find any studies of public perception of this important topic. This study was therefore designed to examine the views and opinions of the public concerning patient safety in the Israeli healthcare system with the aim to serve as an important input in determining patient safety goals and policies.

Methods: A digital questionnaire was distributed to 620 Israeli citizens, 18 years of age or older, who were randomly sampled from a pool of 75,000 citizens of Jewish origin stratified by gender, age, and area of residence.

Results: Only 18.8% of the sample considered the healthcare system to be transparent in reporting and dealing with medical errors, while 23.6% reported receiving an explanation of the risks and side effects of medications before prescription. Only 56.4% reported receiving information about the risks related to surgeries and invasive operations, 62.2% claimed to understand the given explanation, and 61.5% reported going through a proper process of patient identification before a test or medical procedure.

Conclusion: Patient safety is a significant concern for the public whose perceptions should be considered when planning improvements to the healthcare system. Healthcare providers must consider patients' perceptions of patient safety issues and remain vigilant in identifying and minimizing risks associated with medical care and in verifying patient comprehension accordingly.