ABSTRACT
This technique was first applied in the aerospace industry to determine what failure events could occur within a given system (e.g., a new aircraft) and what the associated effects would be if it were to occur. This technique, albeit effective, is very man-hour intensive. It is estimated that a typical failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) in the aerospace industry takes anywhere from 50 to 100 man-years to perform on a new aircraft design. There are many good reasons that this technique takes so long to complete, and there are significant benefits to performing one in healthcare.
