Human Factors Approaches for Reducing Medical Instrument Reprocessing Errors

The VA Southwest Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network, VISN 18) has received permission and funding to establish a Patient Safety Center of Inquiry. This center of inquiry, named the Center for Evaluation of Human Factors in Reprocessing Safety (CEHFRS), will be focused on investigating human factors issues associated with cleaning, decontaminating, disinfecting, and sterilizing reusable medical equipment. The rationale for the Center is based on the continued failure of reprocessing practices in VHA facilities. At least some of these failures seem to be related to common human factors problems, such as ease of use, efficiency and human error. The centers primary aims are to: 1. identify and measure unwanted variability in human factors relative to reprocessing, and 2. develop evidence-based practices to reduce adverse events due to improper and/or ineffective reprocessing practices. As part of this effort, the VA would like assistance from a faculty member in the Applied Psychology Department at Arizona State University. The role of the faculty member will be to help establish the center by guiding and advising research and design efforts focused on addressing these problems.