VMIA investigated the relationship between elements of workplace culture associated with a higher incidence and the cost of medical indemnity claims within the Victorian public health care sector.
The research examined the relationship between claims performance results (from VMIA’s claims database) and organisational culture measures (from the VPSC’s People Matter Survey). Initial findings indicated that:
hospitals with more positive workplace cultures are less likely to have a medical indemnity claim
for those hospitals with at least one claim, hospitals with more positive workplace cultures have fewer medical indemnity claims
the average cost of claims was lower for hospitals with more positive workplace cultures.
Generally, these relationships were consistent across the various specialty areas investigated.
These findings support the use of organisational culture metrics as indicators of claims performance risk.
Findings from this and future partnership projects focussing on the relationship between organisational culture and performance measures contribute to understanding why some organisations perform better than their peers. It assists with the identification of lead indicators and the development of intervention strategies.
Mapping a Safety Culture in the Victorian Public Health Care Sector