To Help Reduce Healthcare Errors, B. Braun Shares HFMEA(R) Knowledge

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- B. Braun Medical, Inc., a leading healthcare products and services company dedicated to sharing expertise in patient and caregiver safety, announced today a new consulting service that is designed to positively influence patient care outcomes. B. Braun's new Solutions in Safety program can help healthcare organizations reduce hospital errors and maintain their good standing with the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

Solutions in Safety will guide healthcare organizations through the Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis(TM) (HFMEA) process in order to ensure compliance and improve safety related to high-risk situations such as administering high alert medications and accurate patient identification. HFMEA is a method for evaluating all possible risk inherent in a medical procedure, product or system in order to reduce errors. Although HFMEA implementation is a time-intensive process, the analysis can save patient lives.

"Utilizing a systematic approach like HFMEA to identify and assess the relative risk of potential failure points related to patient safety enables health care professionals to understand and, subsequently, minimize adverse impacts on patient care," said Kenneth Hermann, PharmD, MHA, Joint Commission Resource Faculty (JCAHO). "It has been a pleasure to work with B. Braun and know they are using the FMEA/HFMEA internally and with their clients in the Solutions in Safety Program."

According to the Institute of Medicine, system-wide errors account for the majority of mistakes in healthcare facilities each year. Adherence to HFMEA reduces risk by preemptively assessing all possible process- or system-oriented errors. This logic-based approach to establishing safety protocols provides insight into risk avoidance.

JCAHO, which in 2001 set National Patient Safety Goals in order to reduce errors and save lives, specifies that healthcare organizations must "select high risk process(es) for proactive risk assessment."  The new standard requires facilities to select a minimum of one high risk process each year for a full assessment.

"JCAHO specifications are complex, but that complexity and attention to detail is what will help prevent countless errors in accredited facilities across the country," said Rachel Vitoux, RN, BSN, MSN, CCRN, Manager of Clinical and Technical Support, B. Braun.  "B. Braun not only understands the strain on healthcare facilities to keep up to date with requirements, but has the clinician in mind when offering facility-friendly solutions."

B. Braun technicians have been trained in HFMEA by JCAHO to make a seamless transition between guidelines and implementation. B. Braun offers continuing education for healthcare administrators and clinicians, a service that demonstrates the company's philosophy of Sharing Expertise(TM) between customers, clinicians and employees.

Source: B. Braun