Exploring patient-safety culture in the community pharmacy setting: a national cross-sectional study

The community pharmacy is one setting that plays a crucial role in patient safety. To develop tailored patient safety improvement programs in this setting, it is essential to know the perspectives of the pharmacies' staffs on patient safety. Thus, in this study, we assessed patient-safety culture in the community pharmacy setting in Saudi Arabia.

Between January and August of 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional study among staff working in the community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. Data on patient safety culture were collected using the Pharmacy Survey on Patient Safety Culture (PSOPSC). Analyses were performed with descriptive statistics (frequency/percentages), Fisher's Exact test, Chi-square analysis, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression with proportional odds model analysis.

PSOPSC data from 805 community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia were received (response rate: 78%). The overall average positive response rate for the 11 dimensions of the PSOPSC survey was 60.2%, with a range from 34.8% in the dimension of Staffing, Work Pressure, and Pace to 76.4% in the dimension of Teamwork. Most participants responded positively, as in total, 504 (62.6%) of the participants rated their pharmacy as 'excellent' or 'very good' on patient safety. Gender and work experience in a pharmacy were important predictors of the overall patient safety grade.

The study revealed that all dimensions are scope for further improvement, and critical consideration ought to be given to the areas of weakness, for the most part in the dimension of Staffing, Work Pressure, and Pace.