Assessing Quality and Safety in European Hospitals
Author Information
Author(s): Shaw C, Kutryba B, Crisp H, Vallejo P, Suñol R
Hypothesis
Do European hospitals have quality and safety governance systems and structures in place?
Conclusion
The study found that while most hospitals have formal systems for quality and safety, significant variations exist in their implementation and effectiveness.
Supporting Evidence
- 89 hospitals were assessed for their quality and safety governance systems.
- Most hospitals had a formal infrastructure for managing quality and safety.
- Two-thirds of hospitals had an active governing body involved in quality improvement.
- Significant variations in governance structures were found between hospitals and countries.
- Many hospitals lacked a designated mission or coordination for quality and safety.
Takeaway
The study looked at how hospitals in Europe manage quality and safety, finding that many have systems in place, but not all of them work well.
Methodology
The study assessed 89 hospitals in six European countries using standardized criteria and procedures.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-selection of hospitals and the influence of management changes on participation.
Limitations
Some hospitals declined to participate, and the sample may not fully represent all hospitals in the countries studied.
Participant Demographics
Hospitals from six European countries were included in the study.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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