International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-78021232021061324452445ENDepartment of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran & Non - Communicable Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, IlamDepartment of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, ArakSafety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center & Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran20210613<p><strong>Background</strong>: Patient safety is an important and mandatory component of quality health services. Insecure health services, in addition to inflicting pain and suffering to patients, impose a high financial burden on the health system of every society. The present study was conducted to evaluate the critical standards of patient safety based on the Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) checklist in Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: The present systematic review and meta‑analysis were performed based on the PRISMA guideline. For this purpose, articles related to the critical standards of patient safety based on the PSFHI checklist were obtained by searching valid Persian and English keywords in SID, Magiran, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google scholar data resource through the end of 2019. The studies were analyzed using the STATA (version 14) software.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: In the initial search, 533 articles were extracted among which 7 were eligible and entered into the meta‑analysis process. Overall, 55 hospitals were surveyed, and the results of the meta‑analysis showed that the average critical standards of patient safety were 69.52% (95%, CI = 57.09–81.95, I2 = 69%, P = 0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: The results showed that a moderate level of critical standards of patient safety in hospitals in Iran. Since meta‑regression analysis revealed a decreasing trend in compliance rate, hospital managers should implement principals designated by the World Health Organization to achieve the required standards that are the basis and pillar of a patient‑friendly hospital. With proper management, hospitals should set goals and take steps based on a strategic plan toward achieving these goals.</p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/2445http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/2445/717718284