The Role of High Reliability Organization Foundational Practices in Building a Culture of Safety

Abstract

Background: High reliability organizations are designed to operate under complex conditions for extended periods by strengthening systems that help serious adverse events for patients. The US Department of Veterans Affairs formally began its enterprise-wide journey to high reliability in 2019. Four foundational practices were identified to advance a culture of safety across all Veterans Health Administration facilities. This article describes these practices, summarizes supporting evidence from the literature, and illustrates strong practices for improving safety. Observations: A literature review was conducted from 2018 to March 2023 to identify recent evidence outlining the value of implementing the 4 foundational high reliability organization practices to improve patient safety. This evidence was used to create and implement formal processes for the foundational practices. For each foundational practice, a representative example of a strong practice within the Veterans Health Administration is provided. Conclusions: Effective and sustained application of the foundational organization practices described can support a health care organization’s journey to high reliability. Collectively, the 4 foundational practices can be adopted and implemented by other organizations in the continued pursuit of high reliability in health care.