Generating Options for Active Risk Control (GO-ARC)

introducing a novel technique

Journal article (2014)

Authors

Alan J. Card University of Cambridge
James R. Ward University of Cambridge
P.J. Clarkson University of Cambridge
Research Group
Applied Ergonomics and Design (IDE) (TU Delft)
Risk management Patient safety Safety management Quality improvement Organizational decision making
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Published Date

01-09-2014

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Department

Human-Centered Design

Research Group

Applied Ergonomics and Design

Abstract

BACKGROUND: After investing significant amounts of time and money in conducting formal risk assessments, such as root cause analysis (RCA) or failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), healthcare workers are left to their own devices in generating high-quality risk control options. They often experience difficulty in doing so, and tend toward an overreliance on administrative controls (the weakest category in the hierarchy of risk controls). This has important implications for patient safety and the cost effectiveness of risk management operations. This paper describes a before and after pilot study of the Generating Options for Active Risk Control (GO-ARC) technique, a novel tool to improve the quality of the risk control options generation process.OUTCOME MEASURES: The quantity, quality (using the three-tiered hierarchy of risk controls), variety, and novelty of risk controls generated.RESULTS: Use of the GO-ARC technique was associated with improvement on all measures.CONCLUSIONS: While this pilot study has some notable limitations, it appears that the GO-ARC technique improved the risk control options generation process. Further research is needed to confirm this finding. It is also important to note that improved risk control options are a necessary, but not sufficient, step toward the implementation of more robust risk controls.