Fuzzy weighted risk analysis approach and application in the emergency department of a hospital

In this study, a new approach to risk analysis of hazards is proposed. In this context, an integrated risk analysis method based on probability, frequency, detectability parameters in the literature and 3-stage severity parameters (human, equipment, business processes) defined in the study has been proposed. All parameters are evaluated with fuzzy logic approach and therefore the risk priority numbers (RPN) are excluded from the situations where evaluators could not make clear predictions. The weights of the severity stages suggested in the RPN calculation are determined by the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process approach. Besides, a classification approach is required to take account of existing hazards because the number of hazards and the priority of hazards can vary from practice to practice. For this purpose, new hazard classes are defined by ABC analysis based on RPN values. The integrated approach and risk classes developed are applied in the emergency department of a private hospital and the results of the current risk analysis applied in the hospital are compared with different combinations of the fuzzy assessment and weighting situations proposed in the study. The study concluded that 10 hazards are in class A and the current 6 hazard classes are elevated with the proposed fuzzy-weighted risk approach for 47 hazards.