Frances A. Griffin, RRT, MPA, Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement;
Frank A. Federico, RPh, Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

      Reliability science has been used in industry and manufacturing and is now being applied to healthcare processes. An approach for applying these concepts, called “the three-tiered model,” is being tested along with the “all-or-nothing” measurement strategy. This approach will be described along with examples and results from hospitals that have applied it to care processes.
      After this presentation you will be able to:

• Define reliability as applied to health care and how to measure it.
• Describe the three-tiered model for applying reliability science to health care processes.
• Give examples of improvements made in other organizations using reliability science.
• Use the "all-or-nothing" measure with a process in your organization.