On the need for revising healthcare failure mode and effect analysis for assessing potential for patient harm in healthcare processes

Abrahamsen, Håkon Bjorheim, Eirik Bjorheim Abrahamsen and Høyland, Sindre

Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 2016, vol. 155, issue C, 160-168

Abstract: Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis is a proactive, systematic method adapted from safety-critical industries increasingly used to assess the potential for patient harm in high-risk healthcare processes. In this paper we review and discuss this method. We point to some weaknesses and finally argue for two adjustments. One adjustment is regarding the way in which risk is evaluated, and the other is to adopt a broader evaluation of barrier performance. Examples are given from prehospital critical care and from the operating room environment within hospitals to illustrate these ideas.

Keywords: HFMEA; Risk; Risk analysis; Risk management; Strength of knowledge; Uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reensy:v:155:y:2016:i:c:p:160-168

DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2016.06.011

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