Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Practice Exam

What is the most appropriate action to take when preparing for the implementation of a new electronic health record system?

1. Suggest a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle

2. Offer to do a claims analysis for any related errors

3. Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA)

4. Conduct a root cause analysis (RCA)

The correct answer is: Conduct a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA)

The most appropriate action to take when preparing for the implementation of a new electronic health record (EHR) system is to conduct a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). This proactive approach is focused on identifying potential failure points within the system before implementation, allowing for the systematic evaluation of possible failures and their consequences. By analyzing the processes involved in using the new EHR system, stakeholders can gain insights into how the system might fail and what the impact of those failures could be on patient safety and care delivery. FMEA helps in prioritizing risks based on their severity and likelihood, which enables teams to develop strategies to mitigate identified risks prior to going live with the system. This foresight is essential to ensure that the transition to the new EHR does not inadvertently introduce errors that could compromise patient safety. Also, while other methods such as a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, root cause analysis (RCA), or a claims analysis can be valuable in various stages of process improvement and incident investigation, they do not specifically target the proactive risk assessment needed during the preparatory phase for a new system implementation. PDSA is more of a testing and feedback method that follows implementation; RCA is typically used after an adverse event