Organizational Policy Accessibility as a Structural Patient Safety Indicator: A Conceptual Perspective.

This conceptual paper advances policy accessibility as a structural patient safety indicator within healthcare quality measurement. Building on the Alhawsawi Policy Accessibility Gap (APAG) model, the paper distinguishes between policy availability, accessibility, and compliance, and reframes accessibility as a structural dimension reflecting system readiness and infrastructure rather than solely individual behavior. Grounded in Donabedian’s structure–process–outcome framework and implementation science, this work calls for measuring policy accessibility to ensure accurate interpretation of system-level limitations and individual contributors to non-compliance. The paper proposes policy accessibility as a measurable structural indicator that supports patient safety and organizational accountability.