What is Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)?
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis is a step by step approach for identifying all possible failures in a process. Failure Modes mean the ways in which something might fail. Effects Analysis refers to studying the consequences, or effects, of those failures.
Failures are prioritized according to how serious their consequences are, how frequently they occur, and how easily they can be detected. Purpose of FMEA is to take actions to eliminate or reduce failure , starting with the highest –priority ones. An FMEA also documents current knowledge and actions about the risks of failures, for use in continuos improvement.
In the context of risk management, how can it be used to improve processes in healthcare organizations?
Risk management as a specialization is applicable to every profession and industry. With respect. Failure modes and effects analysis is a helpful tool in risk management for the healthcare industry as it can cut down the number of fatalities by identifiable preventive measures and thus take correct action.
What impact can it have on preventing sentinel events?
FMEA is a proactive tool, technique and quality method that enables the identification and prevention of process or product errors before they occur. Within healthcare, the goal is to avoid adverse events that could potentially cause harm to patients, families, employees or others in the patient care setting. As a tool embedded within Six Sigma methodology, FMEA can help identify and eliminate concerns early in the development of a process or new service delivery. It is a systematic way to examine a process prospectively for possible ways in which failure can occur, and then to redesign the processes so that the new model eliminates the possibility of failure. Properly executed, FMEA can assist in improving overall satisfaction and safety levels.
What are JCAHOs requirements in this case?
According to JCAHO, it is important / mandatory to comply to safe medication practices and address a recognized risk point in the safe administration of medications in peri-operative settings.
Prepare a response to the above stated questions concerning FMEA. Your response should also answer the concerns of staff.
Staff members are aware of the value of this type of analysis but also do recognize that real learning would best be achieved through completing an FMEA of an existing process or situation, rather than through a simulation or staff training.
Review this site for more information: Common Errors in Healthcare Failure Mode and Effects AnalysisTM (HFMEA?).
The published article is very informative and the author appears to be very familiar in the use of HFMEA, because of his justified views on the demerits of HFMEA. However, the data though used hypothetically could have been replaced with actual validated facts.
REFERENCES
A.
<http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:O9p_39trRF4J:www.fmeainfocentre.com/guides/hfmea_directions.doc+HFMEA&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in>
B.
<http://www.ask.com/bar?q=hfmea&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=3&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sentinel-event.com%2Ffmea-hfmea.php>
C. Cn Errors in Healthcare Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
<http://www.ask.com/bar?q=hfmea&page=2&qsrc=0&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ccdsystems.com%2FLinkClick.aspx%3Flink%3D272%26tabid%3D267%26mid%3D743>