J Korean Med Assoc.  2025 Apr;68(4):253-265. 10.5124/jkma.25.0019.

Physicians’ awareness and experiences of patient safety from 2021 to 2023 in Korea: a cross-sectional survey study

• Ock M
• Jeong H
• Kim JH
• Yum H
• Lee JH
• Jo MW

• KMID: 2568122
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.25.0019

Abstract

Purpose
We aimed to derive insights by analyzing the results of a patient safety awareness survey conducted by the Regional Patient Safety Center of the Korean Medical Association.
Methods
Survey questions were developed in three domains: sociodemographic characteristics, patient safety awareness, and patient safety education needs. An online anonymous survey targeting Korean physicians was conducted annually from 2021 to 2023. Chi-square tests were used to verify differences in responses by year and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results
A total of 774 physicians participated in the survey over the three-year period. Approximately half of the participants were still assessed to have insufficient knowledge about patient safety, and no clear year-over-year improvement was observed. Additionally, while patient safety incidents appeared common, the proportion of respondents who reported incidents remained around 20%. However, participants showed high levels of agreement or engagement in patient participation activities related to patient safety (over 90%), with 60% having previously received patient safety-related education, and nearly 90% expressing willingness to participate in future education. The findings also highlighted a particular urgency in improving patient safety awareness among clinic-based physicians.
Conclusion
Promoting awareness of patient safety incident reporting methods and encouraging clinic-based physicians to report incidents should be prioritized. The study’s findings will provide a foundation for more effectively fostering physician engagement in patient safety improvement activities.

Keyword

Patient safety; Patient safety; Primary health care; Primary health care; Patient participation; Patient participation; 환자안전; 일차의료; 환자참여