Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Safety Measures in Hospitals: A Scoping Review

The prevalence of hospital deaths, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO), is more than 2 million, among which 50% are preventable. Preventable deaths can be reduced significantly by implementing effective patient safety measures. Therefore, mapping various patient safety measures can provide important insights. The scoping review aimed at systematically compiling and analysing the facilitators and barriers towards patient safety measures. We used the scoping review methodology for systematically mapping and discussing relevant concepts from existing evidence. The scoping review was based on the methodological guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers Manual and the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Out of 196,847 studies from January 2014 to December 2024 identified from 3 databases, 41 studies were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The common themes were extracted under the category of facilitators and barriers to patient safety. The key facilitators based on the majority percentage included effective communication, continuous learning and quality improvement initiatives, while the main barriers identified were system issues, cultural challenges and human preferences. A guiding framework for patient safety implementation was developed from synthesised facilitators and barriers. Increased leadership engagement, continuous workforce development, promoting human-focused technologies, enhancing communication and fostering a hospital safety culture were recommended. The major limitation of this review was the literature searches conducted in three databases. However, the proposed guiding framework provides a ready reckoner aligned with the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan (2021–2030) and International Patient Safety Goals. The present scoping review highlights context-specific challenges and presents a guiding framework for improving patient safety in the healthcare system.