Question

W20:HM1013 - G1 Introduction to Patient Safety: Assignment #2: (Due Week 11: Saturday, March 28, 2020) What is Root Cause Analysis (RCA)? Give at least 3 reasons as to why Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is important in healthcare? And explain. • The paper should be 1 - 2 pages in length excluding the required class front page and reference page. • Use Calibri font size 12. 1.15 between lines and 1.5 between paragraphs. *Cite references to back your writings using APA style of referencing

Answer 1

Root cause Analysis:

The dictionary defines "root cause" as the fundamental cause, basis or essence of something or the source from which something derives.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systematic process for identifying root causes of problems or events and an approach for responding to them. It is based on the basic idea that effective management requires a method of problem solving used for identifying the root causes of faults or problems.

4 steps:

1.)Identify and Describe the problem clearly

2.)Establish a timeline from normal situation to time of problem

3.)Distinguish between root cause and other causal factors

4.)Establish a causal graph between root cause and the problem

Uses in healthcare and safety:

=>Medicine ( diagnosis)

=>Epidemiology (To identify source of infectious disease)

=>Environmental science(To analyze environmental disasters)

=>Accident Analysis (aviation and rail industry)

=>Occupational safety and health

General principles:

1. Identidication and Description : effective problem statements and event descriptions

2. Chronology : sequence of events and timeline

3. Differentiation : distinguish between root cause and other factors

4. Causal graphing

Five why's:

An iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause and effect relationship underlying a particular problem to determine the root cause.

RCA methods :

=>5 why's Analysis

=>Barrier Analysis

=>Change Analysis

=>Causal factor tree Analysis

=>Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

=>Fish Bone Diagram/ Ishilawa diagram

=>Pareto Analysis

=>Fault Tree Analysis

Importance of RCA in Healthcare :

1.)Information from RCA shared between organizations can help Prevent Future Sentinel Events

2.)It helps Organizations Identify risk or weak points in processes, underlying or systemic causes, and corrective actions

3.)Individual blame can be prevented and it helps to build a culture of safety by preventing occurrence of sentinel events.