title: Prevention is better: the case of the underutilized failure mode effect analysis in patient safety.
abstract: Prospective hazard analysis methodologies, like failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), have been tried and tested in the engineering industry and are more recently gaining momentum in healthcare. Considering FMEA's evidence based successes, this commentary makes the case that healthcare is underutilizing the methodology by relying on retrospective hazard analysis. Healthcare leaders should determine where prospective hazard analysis principles could be better built into care delivery planning and processes that will enhance patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Yale New Haven Health, 2 Howe St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA.
authors.forename: Lewis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goodrum
authors.affiliation: Yale New Haven Health Northeast Medical Group, 99 Hawley lane, 3rd Flr, Stratford, CT 06614 USA.
authors.forename: Prathibha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varkey
mesh_terms: D000067495:Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis; D006801:Humans; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards*; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Clinical quality; Failure mode and effects analysis; Healthcare failure mode and effects analysis; Healthcare management; Patient safety; Patient safety tools; Prospective hazard analysis