title: Deference to Expertise: Making Care Safer.
abstract: Since the seminal report by the Institute of Medicine, To Err Is Human, was issued in 1999, significant efforts across the health care industry have been launched to improve the safety and quality of patient care. Recent advances in the safety of health care delivery have included commitment to creating high-reliability organizations (HROs) to enhance existing quality improvement activities. This article will explore key elements of the HRO concept of deference to expertise, describe the structural elements that support nurses and other personnel in speaking up, and provide examples of practical, evidence-based tools to help organizations support and encourage all members of the health care team to speak up.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn Cherese
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Godlock
authors.forename: Rebecca Suzie
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Miltner
authors.forename: Dori Taylor
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D061214:Patient Safety; D058996:Quality Improvement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017751:Safety Management