Preliminary case report study of training and support needed to conduct bowtie analysis in healthcare

There is limited engagement in healthcare with the kinds of proactive approaches to risk assessment used in other industries. Bowtie analysis (BTA) has previously been shown to have potential as a straightforward approach to proactively assessing risk in healthcare. The visual nature of BTA diagrams can aid communication of the essential elements of a complex risk management system. The aim of this small case report study was to investigate the training and support likely to be needed for existing healthcare professionals to conduct BTA in compliance with recognised industry best-practice.

Of 17 volunteers who attended training, 3 completed an analysis of significant healthcare risks in the study period: misadministration of gentamicin; unknown development of acute kidney injury and disposal of medical devices containing patient identifiable information (PII). Subjective assessments of the quality of the analyses were made against indicators of BTA best-practice.

Use of the BTA method led to a deeper understanding of the issues and a more thorough understanding of the risks and what was needed to control them than would have been the case if 'normal practice' had been followed. Classroom-based training supported by written guidance; however, do not appear adequate to support development of competence to carry out a quality BTA in a healthcare setting.

BTA seems to have potential though further evaluation of its application and utility is necessary. The most cost-effective and productive approach is likely to be to train a small number of people to develop deeper skills and experience in BTA. In addition to training and user guidance, the opportunity to facilitate at least one analysis, with some specialist/trainer support, appears to be essential in developing BTA competence.