1️⃣ SOPS® Beyond Scores: Encouraging Participation

Encouraging staff participation in Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (SOPS®) 

Fostering a strong patient safety culture is essential for improving patient outcomes and ensuring high-quality care in healthcare facilities. One of the most effective ways to assess and enhance patient safety culture is through Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ (SOPS®), which provide critical insights into staff perceptions of safety in their healthcare facility. 

Watch the first video from our six-part patient safety culture series

Why staff participation in SOPS® matters 

Encouraging staff participation in Surveys on Patient Safety Culture is crucial for multiple reasons. Here, we’ll break down the major points while describing why it’s important to collect patient safety culture survey data. 

1. Regulatory compliance 

The Joint Commission requires healthcare organizations to assess their culture of safety regularly. While it does not mandate a specific survey, many facilities choose the AHRQ SOPS® survey as the standard for evaluating patient safety culture in hospitals, nursing homes, community pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers and medical offices. 

2. Identifying key safety issues 

Staff participation helps leadership understand critical areas impacting patient care, including whether staff feel safe, adequately supported and equipped to perform their roles effectively. 

3. Workforce well-being and retention 

These surveys provide valuable feedback on staff workload, time off and staffing levels, helping leadership address concerns about understaffing or burnout and improving overall workplace satisfaction. 

How SOPS® surveys improve patient safety culture 

By analyzing SOPS® survey results, healthcare leaders gain actionable insights into: 

• employee perceptions of patient safety practices; 

• barriers to effective patient safety culture; 

• areas for improvement in the survey process, communication, teamwork and patient care safety; and 

• strategies to enhance hospital safety culture and engagement. 
  
  

Driving meaningful change with SOPS® survey results 

To make the most of SOPS® staff participation healthcare organizations should: 

• communicate the importance of patient safety culture surveys to all employees; 

• ensure anonymity and confidentiality to encourage honest responses; 

• act on the results by implementing strategies to address concerns; and 

• continuously monitor and improve patient safety culture based on data-driven insights. 
  
  

Improve staff participation with DataGen 

A strong culture of safety starts with listening to those on the front lines. Encouraging staff participation in Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (SOPS®) empowers healthcare organizations to enhance patient safety, improve working conditions and meet regulatory requirements.  

By leveraging these survey insights, hospitals, medical offices, community pharmacies and ASCs can create a safer, more efficient healthcare environment for both staff and patients. Explore DataGen’s Culture of Safety Insights™: 

1. Check out our next video and blog in the series, SOPS® Beyond Scores video on boosting safety and patient outcomes. 

2. Access our entire “SOPS® Beyond Scores” playlist on our YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe for future updates and series. 

Ready to improve your safety culture? Start with our CSI Video