Pilar Marqués Sánchez

Social Network Analysis: a method to improve safety in healthcare organizations

Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory. With the SNA we can know aspects of the individuals position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a team to transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNA would analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods.Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory. With the SNA we can know aspects of the individuals position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a team to transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNA would analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods.La seguridad del paciente depende de la cultura de la organizacion sanitaria y de las relaciones que los profesionales mantienen entre si. En este articulo se propone que el estudio de esas relaciones deberia de llevarse a cabo desde una perspectiva de red y mediante una metodologia denominada Analisis de Redes Sociales (ARS). Esta incluye un conjunto de constructos matematicos fundamentados en la Teoria de grafos. Con el ARS podemos conocer aspectos relacionados con la posicion del individuo en la red (centralidad) o la cohesion entre los miembros de un equipo. De esta forma se pueden conocer aspectos tan relacionados con la seguridad como por ejemplo saber que tipo de vinculos pueden aumentar el compromiso entre los profesionales, como se construyen, que nodos tienen mas prestigio en el equipo en cuanto a generar confianza o una red colaborativa, que profesionales sirven de intermediarios entre los subgrupos de un equipo para transmitir informacion o suavizar conflictos, etcetera, todos ellos aspectos utiles para establecer una cultura de seguridad. El ARS permitiria analizar las relaciones de los profesionales, su nivel de comunicacion para manifestar los errores y pedir ayuda de forma espontanea y la coordinacion existente entre departamentos para participar en proyectos que mejoren la seguridad. De esta forma, se relacionan en red utilizando un mismo lenguaje, hecho que ayuda a construir una cultura. En conclusion, se propone un abordaje de la cultura de seguridad desde una perspectiva de ARS que complementaria otros metodos habitualmente utilizados.

El análisis de las redes sociales: un método para la mejora de la seguridad en las organizaciones sanitarias

Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory. With the SNA we can know aspects of the individuals position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a team to transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNA would analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods.Patient safety depends on the culture of the healthcare organization involving relationships between professionals. This article proposes that the study of these relations should be conducted from a network perspective and using a methodology called Social Network Analysis (SNA). This methodology includes a set of mathematical constructs grounded in Graph Theory. With the SNA we can know aspects of the individuals position in the network (centrality) or cohesion among team members. Thus, the SNA allows to know aspects related to security such as the kind of links that can increase commitment among professionals, how to build those links, which nodes have more prestige in the team in generating confidence or collaborative network, which professionals serve as intermediaries between the subgroups of a team to transmit information or smooth conflicts, etc. Useful aspects in stablishing a safety culture. The SNA would analyze the relations among professionals, their level of communication to communicate errors and spontaneously seek help and coordination between departments to participate in projects that enhance safety. Thus, they related through a network, using the same language, a fact that helps to build a culture. In summary, we propose an approach to safety culture from a SNA perspective that would complement other commonly used methods.La seguridad del paciente depende de la cultura de la organizacion sanitaria y de las relaciones que los profesionales mantienen entre si. En este articulo se propone que el estudio de esas relaciones deberia de llevarse a cabo desde una perspectiva de red y mediante una metodologia denominada Analisis de Redes Sociales (ARS). Esta incluye un conjunto de constructos matematicos fundamentados en la Teoria de grafos. Con el ARS podemos conocer aspectos relacionados con la posicion del individuo en la red (centralidad) o la cohesion entre los miembros de un equipo. De esta forma se pueden conocer aspectos tan relacionados con la seguridad como por ejemplo saber que tipo de vinculos pueden aumentar el compromiso entre los profesionales, como se construyen, que nodos tienen mas prestigio en el equipo en cuanto a generar confianza o una red colaborativa, que profesionales sirven de intermediarios entre los subgrupos de un equipo para transmitir informacion o suavizar conflictos, etcetera, todos ellos aspectos utiles para establecer una cultura de seguridad. El ARS permitiria analizar las relaciones de los profesionales, su nivel de comunicacion para manifestar los errores y pedir ayuda de forma espontanea y la coordinacion existente entre departamentos para participar en proyectos que mejoren la seguridad. De esta forma, se relacionan en red utilizando un mismo lenguaje, hecho que ayuda a construir una cultura. En conclusion, se propone un abordaje de la cultura de seguridad desde una perspectiva de ARS que complementaria otros metodos habitualmente utilizados.