Use of FMEA (Failure mode and effects analysis) to manage the risks of Medication system in the inpatient department of Sanom hospital, Surin province

Abstract

             Introduction: Good medication system are important for the safety of patients and workers in hospital.
             Objective:  To apply  the FMEA in risk  management of medication system in the inpatient department of Sanom hospital, Surin province.
             Method:  Action  research  was  done  by  10  health  professionals. The  FMEA  was  applied to reduce  risk  within  medication  system in the inpatient  department.  The 5 steps of  FMEA  were  1) List the  steps in the process of  vaccine  cold chain,  2)  List the  potential  failure  modes,  risk, consequences  of each  failure  on the  process,  3) Identify  probability  of occurrence,   severity  of  consequence  and  probability  of   detecting  the failure,  4) Calculate a RPN (Risk  Priority  Number) for each failure mode, 5) propose actions to prevent or reduce the risks.
             Results: There were 54 potential  risks within 7 main  processes of medication  system  in  the  inpatient   department.   The   majority   risks, 25.93%,   were  found  in  the  medication   administration   process  when doctor ordering the additional drug during  pharmacy  department out of service.  We  found  that  the  cause was  due  to  the   storage  of  drugs  at the  ward  and  not  independent  double  checking  before  administering medicine  to  patients.
              Conclusion:   The   use   of  the   FMEA  in   risk   management   of medication  system is the  proactive tool to prevent or  mitigate  potential risks in the work processes.