Application of prospective approach of healthcare failure mode and effect analysis in the risk assessment of healthcare systems

Abstract

Background: Health care failure mode and effect analysis is a prospective and systemic approach for identifying failure modes and preventing them before their occurrence, which is used extensively in healthcare. The present study was conducted aiming at the investigation of the application of the prospective approach of healthcare failure mode and effect analysis in the risk assessment of healthcare systems. Methods: In this narrative systematic review, a search was carried out in english data bases (web of knowledge, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Proquest, Science direct) and Persian data bases (SID, Magiran and Iranmedex) using keywords such as risk assessment, proactive risk, health failure mode and effect analysis, health care, patient safety, without no time limits. Results: A total of 620 studies were identified in our searching which of them 24 studies were included. According to the investigation, in applying the steps of HFMEA several methods and various tools such as “Voting method using rating”, “Activity breakdown structure”, “Triangular method”, “Scorecard”, “Set forms”, “ Intervention levels matrix “, “Classification of failure modes”, “Classification of root causes of errors”, “Five why method”, “Fault tree” and “Theory of inventive problem solving method” have been used in order to increase the reliability of HFMEA method and reduce the effects of its restrictions. Conclusion: HFMEA is considered an effect tool for risk assessment. However, there are methodological challenges in validity of the HFMEA model. Applying and combining other methods and tools other than the team’s experience and knowledge in the stages and steps of HFMEA, it is possible to enhance the validity of the method. © 2018 Taleghani et al.