Volume 24, Issue 1 (5-2025)
jhosp 2025, 24(1): 1-12 |
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Jahangiri A. Identifying and Analyzing Investment Risks in Hospital Wastewater Infrastructure Using the FMEA Method. jhosp 2025; 24 (1) :1-12
URL: http://jhosp.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6736-en.html
URL: http://jhosp.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6736-en.html
Research Expert, Water and Wastewater Company of Markazi Province, Arak, Iran. *Corresponding Author Email: Jahangirieng@ yahoo.com
Abstract: (1617 Views)
Background and purpose: Hospital wastewater infrastructure is critical for safeguarding public health and protecting the environment. Deficiencies in the management of these systems can precipitate severe public health and environmental crises. This study aimed to identify and prioritize investment risks associated with hospital wastewater infrastructure.
Methods: This applied case study was conducted in a general hospital in Arak, Iran, during April 2025. Initial risk identification involved a comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with 14 experts, with data analysis facilitated by MAXQDA 2022 software. Subsequently, a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) approach, utilizing a customized checklist, was employed to score each identified risk based on its severity, probability of occurrence, and detectability. The Risk Priority Number (RPN) for each risk was then calculated using Microsoft Excel. Finally, risks were ranked in descending order according to their RPN values.
Results: A total of 23 key risks were identified and categorized into five principal areas: design, technical, environmental, operational, and managerial. The highest RPNs were attributed to "lack of pre-treatment systems," "insufficient capacity planning," and "wastewater leakage into surrounding soil". Additionally, managerial and operational risks, such as "insufficient budget for maintenance" and "shortage of skilled personnel," were recognized as significant aggravating factors for other risks.
Conclusion: The findings underscore that many critical risks within hospital wastewater infrastructure originate from fundamental weaknesses in initial design and ongoing management. The FMEA method proved to be an effective and systematic tool for identifying and prioritizing these risks, thereby facilitating improved engineering and managerial decision-making and enhancing the overall effectiveness of investments in this vital infrastructure.
Methods: This applied case study was conducted in a general hospital in Arak, Iran, during April 2025. Initial risk identification involved a comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with 14 experts, with data analysis facilitated by MAXQDA 2022 software. Subsequently, a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) approach, utilizing a customized checklist, was employed to score each identified risk based on its severity, probability of occurrence, and detectability. The Risk Priority Number (RPN) for each risk was then calculated using Microsoft Excel. Finally, risks were ranked in descending order according to their RPN values.
Results: A total of 23 key risks were identified and categorized into five principal areas: design, technical, environmental, operational, and managerial. The highest RPNs were attributed to "lack of pre-treatment systems," "insufficient capacity planning," and "wastewater leakage into surrounding soil". Additionally, managerial and operational risks, such as "insufficient budget for maintenance" and "shortage of skilled personnel," were recognized as significant aggravating factors for other risks.
Conclusion: The findings underscore that many critical risks within hospital wastewater infrastructure originate from fundamental weaknesses in initial design and ongoing management. The FMEA method proved to be an effective and systematic tool for identifying and prioritizing these risks, thereby facilitating improved engineering and managerial decision-making and enhancing the overall effectiveness of investments in this vital infrastructure.
Type of Study: Case Study |
Subject:
مدیریت تسهیلات (فیزیکی ، تاسیساتی و تجهیزاتی ) در بیمارستان
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