Developing a framework for assessing the safety of service recipients in primary health care

Ali Dorosti; Mostafa Farahbakhsh; Mahdi Nouri; Majid Karamoz; Hojat gharaee; Hossien Khosroshi; Saber  Azami-Aghdash

doi:10.18502/htaa.v4i3.6349

Ali Dorosti 1. Anesthesiologist and Vice Chancellor for Health, member of the Medical faculty of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Mostafa Farahbakhsh Research center of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Tabriz University of medical sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Mahdi Nouri PhD Candidate Student in Healthcare Management, Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Majid Karamoz East Azerbaijan Province Health Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Hojat gharaee Health Center of Hamadan City, Hamadan University of Medical Science, Hamadan, Iran
Hossien Khosroshi East Azerbaijan Province Health Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Saber Azami-Aghdash Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/htaa.v4i3.6349

Keywords: primary health care, safety, service recipient, Framework, Criteria

Abstract

Introduction: Safety has been neglected in primary health care (PHC). A review of the literature shows that a comprehensive and specific framework to assess the safety of the service recipients (SRs) in PHC has not yet been developed. Therefore, this study aimed to design and validate a framework for assessing the safety of SRs in PHC.

Methods: This study is a qualitative study with a grounded theory approach that was designed and conducted in 2020 in the Vice-Chancellor for Health of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The present study was conducted in three stages: conducting a comprehensive literature review, consulting 15 experts and officials of the country and the province, and conducting two stages of the Delphi technique with the participation of 23 experts. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results: In the literature review phase, 114 criteria were identified from 16 references. Finally, 71 criteria, in 6 main areas and 20 sub-areas, were identified for assessing the safety of SRs in PHC. The main areas include management and leadership (26 criteria), process management (8 criteria), SRs' safety audit (15 criteria), human resources (5 criteria), SRs and community participation (5 criteria), and occupational safety (12 criteria).

Conclusion: In this study, a comprehensive and systematic framework and criteria for measuring the safety of SRs in PHC were designed and validated, which can be used by policymakers and officials of PHC.