Reliability in healthcare

Abstract

Abstract Reliability theory aims to ensure that healthcare is delivered safely and effectively every time. Currently, healthcare is unreliable in many of its operations, which are both unsafe and inefficient. The concept of high reliability has been taken from other industries, which have achieved high standards of safety and effectiveness. High reliability aims to produce error-free operations under different conditions, that is, to make healthcare safer in every context. Reliability in healthcare implies that the patient receives the right care and that the relevant processes deliver the care in a standardized way. Reliability theory offers interventions that can improve the reliability of care and outcomes such as care bundles, standardization, and process redesign. Key features of a reliable team are anticipation, frontline ownership of the process, and learning.