Do HRO (High Reliability Organisation) principles improve healthcare patient & staff outcomes?
This scoping study evaluated 9 studies. (Note – still under peer review, so use with caution).
Extracts:
· “HRO implementation was associated with fewer adverse events, positive staff perceptions on patient safety, and improved psychological safety”
· Studies used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative measures, including medication errors, patient falls, and limited staff measures
· However the “relationship between HRO implementation and SSEs [Serious Safety Events] produced mixed results”
· ‘The implementation of HRO does not only affect patient safety events but also impacts the safety mindset of the direct care staff and organizational leadership”
· HRO implementation “significantly improved direct care staff’s prioritization of patient safety, promoted the staff’s psychological safety and respectful interactions, which subsequently contributed to an increased reporting of errors and improved safety climate”
· Whereas patient outcomes improved, only one study looked at staff outcomes
Limitations present of course, including lack of assessment of evidence quality, limited database search and English language.
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Study link: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=5316251
Ref: Morales, M. J. G., Hilton, P., Hong, O., Bialous, S., Martin, M., Sewnath, J., & Lee, S. J. High Reliability Organizations and Healthcare Outcomes on Patients and Staff: Scoping Review. Available at SSRN 5316251.
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