SOPS Hospital Database Submission Information

Guidelines for Use of SOPS Trademarked Surveys and Supplemental Items

All submissions of survey results to the SOPS Hospital Database must comply with the following guidelines to be included in the Database:

1. The SOPS Hospital Survey (1.0 or 2.0) must have been administered in its entirety without modifications or deletions to the core* survey items. 
   • No changes can be made to the core survey item text and/or response options. Changes can only be made to the units/work areas, staff positions, and background questions at the end of the survey. If units/work areas and/or staff positions are modified, they need to be crosswalked back to the original survey categories before submitting data. 
   • Do not reorder core survey items.
   • Do not omit or delete core survey items. Only background questions at the end can be removed.
   • Be sure to include any definitions of terms, subheadings (re-lettering as needed), and instructions in the survey. 
   • Do not insert new items or supplemental items within the core survey—they should only be added toward the end of the survey, right before the background questions at the end (Section H of the SOPS Hospital Survey 1.0, and Section G of the SOPS Hospital Survey 2.0.).

*Note: Core survey items are the survey items in Sections A-G in SOPS Hospital Survey 1.0 and Sections A-F in SOPS Hospital Survey 2.0. The core does not include units/work areas, staff positions, and background questions at the end of the survey.

2. Hospitals that administer the SOPS Hospital Survey with the Health Information Technology Patient Safety and/or Value and Efficiency Supplemental Items must comply with the following guidelines:
   • To administer only a subset of the supplemental items, include all items within the composite measures you want to assess.
   • For composite measures you do not want to assess, delete all the items in those composite measures.
   • Do not reorder items within a composite measure.
   • Be sure to include any definitions of terms, subheadings (re-lettering as needed), and instructions in the supplemental item set.

To determine whether a survey is acceptable for submission to the SOPS Hospital Database prior to survey administration, email a copy of the survey to DatabasesOnSafetyCulture@westat.com for review.

Submitting Data

Participation is open June 1 – July 20, 2020, for all types of hospitals located in the United States or in a U.S. territory where patients stay overnight, provided the data are submitted in accordance with the SOPS data file specifications.

Supported survey versions: 

1. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 1.0 with or without supplemental items:
   • Health Information Technology Patient Safety Supplemental Items.
   • Value and Efficiency Supplemental Items.
2. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 2.0 (NEW) with or without supplemental items:
   • Health Information Technology Patient Safety Supplemental Items.
   • Value and Efficiency Supplemental items.

How to participate:

1. Email DatabasesOnSafetyCulture@westat.com with your complete contact information and “Hospital Database Submission” in the subject line. Database staff will send registration information to you to complete. This information, along with a copy of the survey(s) administered, will be reviewed to determine your eligibility.
2. Provide the following data elements:
   1. Medicare Provider ID and hospital characteristics per these site-level data file specifications (PDF, 249 KB). American Hospital Association (AHA)-registered hospitals must provide their AHA ID.
   2. A copy of the survey(s) actually administered for review and approval.
   3. Signed Data Use Agreement (PDF, 895 KB), which assures hospitals about the confidentiality of their data and explains how their data will be used. 
   4. Respondent-level survey data following the appropriate data file specifications for each hospital site. Each hospital, including those from a system, is considered a separate hospital for submission purposes and must be submitted with a unique site identification number.
      1. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 1.0 Data File Specifications:
         1. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 1.0 Survey Data File Specifications (PDF, 301 KB).
         2. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 1.0 with Health IT Patient Safety and/or Value and Efficiency Supplemental Items, Survey Data File Specifications (PDF, 377 KB).
      2. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 2.0 Data File Specifications:
         1. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 2.0 Survey Data File Specifications (PDF, 271 KB).
         2. SOPS Hospital Survey Version 2.0 with Health IT Patient Safety and Value and/or Efficiency Supplemental Items, Survey Data File Specifications (PDF, 345 KB).

Contact Information

For free technical assistance and support, email DatabasesOnSafetyCulture@westat.com or call 1-888-324-9790.