Background

Iron deficiency anemia is highly prevalent and linked to adverse outcomes

Inconsistent screening and management contribute to persistent anemia at delivery

Failure Modes Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a systematic method to identify and prioritize process vulnerabilities and guide interventions

Failure modes are scored based on their Severity (S), Occurrence (O), and Detection (D). A Risk Priority number (RPN) is the product of S*O*D. Higher RPNs indicate more serious failures.

 

Study Design and Methods

The anemia management care process was mapped across key steps including:

Initial assessment and screening

Diagnosis confirmation

Treatment Selection and Initiation

Patient counseling and adherence

Intravenous (IV) iron administration

Peripartum/postpartum care.

 

Results

Identified 47 potential failure modes, ranging in RPN from 36 to 392

 

Discussion and Conclusion

Identified critical, preventable gaps in peripartum IDA management

Prioritizing interventions based on high RPN scores may substantially improve detection and treatment

IV iron delayed due to scheduling or insurance denial à Creation and dissemination of specific insurance request dot phrases

FMEA provides a reproducible framework to enhance IDA management and reduce adverse outcomes