The high-reliability pediatric intensive care unit.

In health care, reliability is the measurable capability of a process, procedure, or health service to perform its intended function in the required time under actual or existing conditions (as opposed to the ideal circumstances under which they are often studied). This article outlines the current state of reliability in a clinical context, discusses general principles of reliability, and explores the characteristics of high-reliability organizations as a desirable future state for pediatric critical care. Published by Elsevier Inc.