Minnesota Hospital Association

Quality & Patient Safety

High reliability organization

A high reliability organization (HRO) is defined as an organization that has maintained high levels of safety, quality, and efficiency over an extended period. The concept of high reliability is growing in health care, due to the complexity of operations and the risk of significant consequences when failures occur. However, the five principles of high reliability go beyond standardization: 

  • preoccupation with failure 
  • reluctance to simplify 
  • sensitivity to operations 
  • commitment to resilience 
  • deference to expertise 

High reliability organizations cultivate resilience by relentlessly prioritizing safety over other performance pressures. Becoming a high reliability organization will undoubtedly improve safety within your organization and improve all other areas of performance as well. The High Reliability Organization road map includes Getting Started, Fundamental and Advanced evidence-based recommendations and standards for the development and growth of a High Reliability Organization.

MHA members can log in to the website at the top-right corner of this page to view the High Reliability Organization road map.