Informal Definition of FMEA: A standardized technique for prioritizing the improvement activities for potential problems in a process. Everything else is commentary.
Formal Definition of FMEA: A systematic process for identifying potential design and process failures before they occur, with the intent to eliminate them or minimize the risk associated with them.
In healthcare applications, the focus is on process rather than design. As in any other industry, the emphasis is on prevention, not correction.
Healthcare Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (HFMEA®) constitutes a sound business practice:
Transform risk management from a reactive process to proactive one
Decrease claims and reduce risk exposure
Enhance your Report Card for better public confidence
Provide an opportunity to market patient safety awareness
Offer the potential to shift Risk Management to a PROFIT CENTER enterprise
FMEAs are intended to result in preventative actions; they are not "after-the-fact" exercises done to satisfy a customer, meet JCAHO accreditation requirements or fix a process which has already gone awry.
Time and resources for a comprehensive FMEA should be allocated during process development, when changes can most easily and inexpensively be implemented.
Here are the differences between Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA): RCA versus FMEA.
HFMEA® is the acronym for Healthcare Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, and has become widely used in the healthcare environment. HFMEA is a registered trademark of CCD Health Systems.
What are the basic steps in conducting a healthcare FMEA?
Try the only FMEA software product designed expressly for the healthcare environment - Failure Mode Analyst.
Software for Healthcare FMEA
Software for Healthcare RCA
Training and consulting in
Root Cause Analysis and
Failure Mode & Effects Analysis
for the healthcare environment
Live, online demonstrations are available for both Root Cause Analyst® and Failure Mode Analyst®.
Call us at 1-800-862-9939 (or 780-416-4414) for information or to schedule a demonstration of our
FMEA and RCA software tools. Ask about FMEA & RCA training!
Copyright Information? 1998-2008 CCD Health Systems. All rights reserved.
HFMEA® and other trademarks are the sole property of CCD Health Systems.
Page last modified on 13 June 2008.
Software Products
