Measuring Culture to Inform Action: A Rapid Literature Review
We all shape the cultures of organizations and teams we work within by how we communicate and interact with our colleagues. These cultures influence “the way we do things around here” which is why improving them has been linked to better system-related and clinical outcomes, reduced adverse events and increased patient satisfaction1.
But before we can improve cultures we need to measure and understand them, and there are many resources available to help do so. Some of our partners recently shared a need for research which could identify the strengths and best practices of common measurement tools.
So we jumped in to conduct a rapid review of the literature. After reviewing seven common survey instruments used in health care settings to measure culture, we offer guidance and support their use to generate discussion, provide data for comparison and foster improvement to culture within organizations.
References
1. Braithwaite J, Herkes J, Ludlow K et al. Association between organizational and workplace cultures, and patient outcomes: systematic review. BMJ Open 2017; 7: 1-12
