The effect of proactive risk management practices on total laboratory errors in laboratory quality processes

Objective: Laboratory examinations are requested from 85% of the patients who apply to health institutions, and the treatment to be applied to the patients is mostly planned with the results of laboratory tests. Laboratory errors can cause very tragic results for the patient and their relatives. Proactive risk management, which is used in fields such as automotive, aviation and defense, has started to be used in health institutions today and has become an important tool in ensuring the reliability of institutions working with a focus on patient safety. The main focus of Proactive Risk Management is to identify and prevent errors before they occur. Proactive Risk Management is a systematic method that analyzes how the error occurred and identifies the steps that need change for the causes of these errors. Also, this method helps in prioritizing risks. "Risk-based process approach" in quality management systems is essential to ensure patient safety, employee safety and cost-effective management in laboratories. In our study, the contribution of the Proactive Risk Management method to patient safety, which is of critical importance in health institutions, is emphasized. Materials and Methods: In this study, the effect of proactive risk management practices on total laboratory errors in quality processes in Çukurova University Medical Faculty Balcalı Hospital Central Laboratory was investigated. As a proactive risk method, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was deemed appropriate and applied to the total testing process in the biochemistry laboratory. Results: This study helped prevent laboratory errors that could negatively affect patient health. The entire laboratory process was examined and a total of 35 possible errors were identified in the processes. 12 of the errors are related to sample collection, 6 are related to transportation and sample acceptance, 8 are related to the device, 3 are related to the reagent, 4 are related to the result report and 2 are caused by the employee. and improvements were applied to potential high-risk errors and an improvement of 59% was predicted. Conclusion: Error Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a method for detecting and prioritizing errors and preventing error, and its use in laboratories has helped to minimize errors in the overall testing process. Compared to other methods of detecting and preventing errors, the method stands out with its significant advantages thanks to its simplicity, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. The application of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in the laboratory has helped to ensure both patient and employee safety.