Revealing and resolving patient safety defects: the impact of leadership WalkRounds on frontline caregiver assessments of patient safety.
Executive walk rounds are a recognized technique for improving safety climate, by allowing frontline providers an opportunity to bring concerns directly to leadership. In this study, seven hospitals attempted to implement leadership walk rounds, and their effect on safety climate was assessed using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Only two of the seven hospitals successfully carried out walk rounds and safety climate monitoring; safety climate did improve significantly in both hospitals. The authors conclude that while executive walk rounds are a potentially valuable safety intervention, successful implementation requires considerable organizational dedication.