Can patients contribute to safer care in meetings with healthcare professionals? A cross-sectional survey of patient perceptions and beliefs.

Patient engagement in safety is considered a best practice and a National Patient Safety Goal, but less is known about patients' perceptions regarding this topic. In this survey study involving 1445 patients in Sweden, researchers found that more than 80% of respondents felt comfortable directing questions to doctors and nurses. Patients who had filed a formal complaint reporting a safety concern were found to believe with greater certainty that the patient perspective can improve the safety of care.