Assessment of Patient Safety Dimensions in Emergency Departments in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences Applying Operational Planning

Background and purpose: Emergency department is one of the most important and risky areas in the hospital. Adherence to safety standards significantly contributes to increased patient satisfaction and service quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patient safety dimensions in emergency departments in educational hospitals affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences applying operational planning. Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out in 2019 and data was collected using the National Health Accreditation Standard Questionnaire. Questionnaire items were categorized according to the operational modeling into input, process, outcome, control, and contextual dimensions. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS V21. Results: The total mean score for patient safety in emergency departments was 3.82 ± 0.20 which was relatively good. The highest and lowest scores were in the control (4.36 ± 0.10) and contextual dimensions (3.02 ± 0.77), respectively. Educational hospitals had higher scores in overall patient safety and safety in structural, process, and outcome dimensions. Non-educational hospitals were found to be better in control and contextual dimensions. Conclusion: According to current study, patient safety should reach a more desirable level in emergency departments. Operational planning is a useful model in identifying the major stages of service delivery and designing appropriate interventions.