Regulatory Oversight and Compliance with Mandatory Patient Safety Standards in Yemen: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65693/jas.2026.v1i3.368Keywords:
Medical council oversight; mandatory standards; patient safety; hospitals, YemenAbstract
Background: Background: Regulatory oversight is key to protecting patient rights and safety. However, research on regulatory bodies' role in patient safety compliance in complex conflict settings, such as Yemen, remains limited.
Objective: To explore healthcare professionals' perceptions of the impact of regulatory oversight of the Yemeni Medical Council on compliance with mandatory patient safety standards in Yemeni's hospitals.
Methodology: A descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to a stratified random sample of 435 medical and administrative staff from three public hospitals, four private hospitals, and the Yemeni Medical Council. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.
Results: Regulatory oversight had a statistically significant positive effect on compliance with mandatory patient safety standards (R = 0.739), accounting for 54.6% of the variance in hospital compliance. Overall, both regulatory oversight and compliance levels were high, with mean scores of 3.92 and 3.91, respectively. Significant differences based on hospital type favored private hospitals (mean = 4.27) over public hospitals (mean = 3.74), with hospital type explaining 12.2% of the varianceon compliance with patient safety standards. A need to improve continuous learning was identified.
Conclusion: Council oversight is vital for enhancing patient safety. However, overlapping responsibilities for regulating healthcare personnel and managing facility operations can lead to inefficiencies. This study recommends restructuring the Council's mandate, establishing a national hospital accreditation body, and creating a dedicated patient safety center while shifting from a punitive to a just culture.
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