Abstract:
Introduction Patient safety is the absence of avoidable harm to patients during the process of
health care. Every year, tens of millions of patients worldwide suffer disabling injuries or death
due to unsafe medical care. Study findings imply the system factors are the most important
factors in patient safety problems and causes of medical errors in health facility.
Objective The aim of this study is to assess organization patient safety practice and its associated
factors in Gambella region health centers.
Methodology Cross sectional study design with both quantitative and qualitative research
methods were used. Structured, pre-tested, self administered questionnaire and observational
checklist and in-depth guide were used. 227 health professionals in 12 health centers which are
selected by simple random by lottery method using a self-administered Hospital Survey on
Patient Safety Culture adapted questionnaire. Purposive 8 in-depth interviews and observational
study conducted using in-depth guide and structured observational checklist.
Result: Organizational patient safety practice status was 49.3% as rated by the health
professionals. The statistically significant predictors for organizational patient safety practice
were communication openness, non-punitive response to error, frequency of event reporting,
health center management support for patient safety, Supervisor/manager expectations & actions
promoting safety and Teamwork Across health center
Conclusion and recommendation: Organizational patient safety practice status was poor in the
health centers. We suggest that the predictors found to affect the Organizational patient safety
practice in this study be used as basic materials for future research and be incorporated into
promotion programs on patient safety practice.
Patient safety should be a top priority for the health care organizations and its leaders. There
should be blame-free system for identifying threats to patient safety and learning from eve
