Key priority areas for patient safety improvement strategy in Libya: a protocol for a modified Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety Research

Background:

• Patient safety is a critical global health issue, yet data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited.
• A systematic approach is essential to safeguard patients from harm within healthcare systems.
• Developing countries like Libya face unique challenges in implementing patient safety measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and prioritize key areas for patient safety enhancement in Libya.
• To establish a consensus-based understanding of patient safety priorities in a developing country context.
• To inform targeted interventions for improving patient safety in Libya.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi methodology utilizing anonymous, web-based questionnaires.
• Recruitment of 15 international patient safety experts to rank and identify safety elements and barriers.
• Analysis of consensus using descriptive statistics (percentage agreement, coefficient of variation) and Kendall's coefficient of concordance.

Main Results:

• Identification of critical patient safety priorities specific to Libya's healthcare context.
• Insight into the primary barriers hindering the implementation of patient safety systems in developing countries.
• Establishment of expert consensus on actionable patient safety improvement areas.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a prioritized framework for enhancing patient safety in Libya.
• Findings offer valuable insights for other developing nations seeking to improve healthcare safety.
• The research underscores the need for context-specific strategies to address patient safety challenges in LMICs.