Risk Management in the Medical Records Department of Alavi Hospital of Tabriz, Iran, Using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Technique

Introduction: Health information is one of the key pillars of effective management of health care services, and has been recognized as the main factor in the operation and integrity of health systems. As most health information is provided by the medical records department, the use of risk management is necessary to protect information assets. The aim of the present study was to investigate risk management in the medical records department of Alavi Hospital of Tabriz, Iran, using failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) technique.Methods: This study was an action research. The study population consisted of the medical records department staff of Alavi Hospital. Data gathering tools was a FMEA checklist. The validity and reliability of the checklist were approved. Data were gathered through the observation of the medical records process and focus group discussion with medical records department staff.Results: There were 31 possible failure modes; 10 failures were related to inpatient admission process, 8 failures to medical filing, 8 failures to releasing medical record information, and 8 failures to quantitative and qualitative analysis of records.Conclusion: FMEA technique is an effective method for risk management in the medical records department. In this approach, risks are identified and assessed. Then, a series of intervention measures are planned to control risk levels. These procedures lead to reduced risk level.