Application of CAST to hospital adverse events
Name
974705860-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
2.39 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
0b93f4bcbe1d20fe49b3ac773b3e194c
Author(s)
O'Neil, Meaghan (Meaghan Marie)
Advisor(s)
Nancy Leveson.
Alternative Title
Application of Causal Accident Systems Theoretic to hospital adverse events
Date Issued
2014
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Despite the passage of 15 years since the Institute of Medicine sought to galvanize the nation with its report To Err is Human, the authors' goal to dramatically improve the quality of healthcare delivery in the United States has yet to be accomplished. While the report and subsequent efforts make frequent reference to the challenges of designing and obtaining system safety, few system tools have been applied in the healthcare industry. Instead, methods such as root cause analysis (RCA) are the current accepted industry standards. The Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) is a model created by Dr. Nancy Leveson that has been successfully applied in a number of industries worldwide to improve system safety. STAMP has the capability to aid the healthcare industry professionals in reaching their goal of improving the quality of patient care. This thesis applies the Causal Accident Systems Theoretic (CAST) accident analysis tool, created by Dr. Leveson based on STAMP, to a hospital accident. The accident reviewed is a realistic, fictionalized accident described by a case study created by the VA to train healthcare personnel in the VA RCA methodology. This thesis provides an example of the application of CAST and provides a comparison of the method to the outcomes of an RCA performed by the VA independently on the same case. The CAST analysis demonstrated that a broader set of causes was identified by the systems approach compared to that of the RCA. This enhanced ability to identify causality led to the identification of additional system improvements. Continued future efforts should be taken to aid in the adoption of a systems approach such as CAST throughout the healthcare industry to ensure the realization of the quality improvements outlined by the IOB in 1999.
Description
Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, System Design and Management Program, Engineering and Management Program, 2014.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 64-66).
Subjects
Engineering and Management Program.
System Design and Management Program.
Engineering Systems Division.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering and Management Program
System Design and Management Program.
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