In high-stakes industries like aviation or nuclear energy, mistakes can quickly become catastrophic. That's why companies in those industries have become high reliability organizations to eliminate errors. This strategy can be applied to healthcare as well, as several organizations have embarked on high-reliability journeys to reduce patient harm events.
In an article for the Association of periOperative Nurses' OR Exec newsletter, Kerry Johnson, founding partner and chief innovation officer for Healthcare Performance Management, outlined some leadership methods OR leaders can use to build accountability and find and fix problems in the OR.
1. Round on the front lines.
2. Use 5:1 feedback, where five positive comments are given for every one negative comment.
3. Institute safety absolutes.
4. Hold daily check-in huddles.
5. Hold briefings before non-routine or complex routine events.
6. Review actions after non-routine or complex events.
7. Lead with urgency after safety critical issues arise.
8. Keep a list of top problems and have an action plan for each.
More Articles on High Reliability Organizations:
Reaching Zero CLABSIs: Saint Francis Hospital's Patient Safety Transformation
CMO Roundtable: 5 CMOs on the Challenges, Opportunities of Leading Physicians in an Era of Healthcare Reform
The 4 Characteristics of a Strong Safety Culture