(149 Kb) Apr 2026

The document (149 KB) outlines 12 specific dimensions (composites) used to gauge safety culture. These include:

How well staff support each other and work as a team. (149 KB)

The survey provides a standardized way for hospitals to measure the "culture of safety"—essentially the shared values and behaviors that determine how patient safety is prioritized in daily operations. The document (149 KB) outlines 12 specific dimensions

To identify strengths and areas for improvement in patient safety culture, allowing for internal benchmarking or comparison against other facilities. To identify strengths and areas for improvement in

Whether leaders promote safety and don't overlook safety problems to "get the job done."

AHRQ provides a comprehensive to accompany the survey. Key aspects of implementation include:

Using a standardized, validated tool like the SOPS Hospital Survey allows for . By focusing on the "Non-punitive Response to Error" or "Communication Openness" scores, hospital leadership can move away from a "blame culture" and toward a "learning culture," which is proven to reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes.