Engaging patients in patient safety: a qualitative study examining healthcare managers and providers’ perspectives

BACKGROUND: Patients can play an essential role in improving patient safety by becoming actively involved in their health care. The present study aimed to qualitatively explore healthcare providers’ (HCPs) and managers’ perceptions on patient participation in patient safety processes. METHODS: This qualitative study carried out in three teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 31 HCPs and managers working at public teaching hospitals, medical universities and the Ministry of Health. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes and 21 sub-themes emerged from the interviews. Participants believed that patients and their families can play an effective role in maintaining and improving patient safety through different roles. However, a variety of barriers were identified at patients, providers, and system levels hindering patient participation in delivering safe care. CONCLUSION: The participants identified facilitators and barriers to patient engagement in safety-orientated activities at multiple patients, providers, and system levels, indicating that complex, multifaceted initiatives must be designed to address the issue. This study encourages further research to enhance the understating of the problems and solutions to patient involvement in safety initiatives in the Iranian healthcare setting. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-01152-1.