Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is an outstanding tool for evaluating potential sources of failure, the possible effects of failure, and mitigation actions that would reduce the consequences of failure for a given process. As a current or future health care administration leader, FMEA is a necessary tool to help your aim in reducing errors in health care delivery.

For this Discussion, review the ASQ article and the application of FMEA discussed in the article. Then download the free FMEA template. Using this template as a mental guide, think about a process in your health services organization, or an organization with which you are familiar, that might fail.

 Post a description of a process in your organization, or an organization with which you are familiar, that might be subject to failure. Explain the potential failure modes and effects as well as the criticality associated with failures. Also, suggest mitigation techniques that will address the failure. Be specific and provide examples. Calculate risk priority numbers for various failure elements of this process using your own assessment of severity, likelihood of occurrence, and detectability. From your analysis, do you believe your organization is prepared for this process to fail? Why, or why not?