Health system performance assessment and reforms, Oman.

Problem: To prioritize key areas of action and investment for the next strategic cycle of national development plans (2026-2031) in Oman, we needed a holistic view of the country's health system and its main deficiencies and inefficiencies. Approach: Informed by the World Health Organization framework, our team of seven national health ministry staff and two international experts conducted a rapid health system performance assessment. We used already available data to identify system bottlenecks and their potential root causes, verifying our findings with key informant interviews. Local setting: Oman's 4.9 million population is relatively young (average age 28 years) but ageing, with a mounting burden of chronic diseases. While health-care services are free for Omani nationals, more than 1.5 million expatriates rely on out-of-pocket payments for health-care services. Strengthening primary health care, improving the quality of care, providing financial protection, and ensuring that public and private health-care providers operate within the same legal and procedural framework are recognized as key national priorities. Relevant changes: Our assessment highlighted the need to extend health service coverage to the whole population, strengthen private health-care sector governance, improve health education, increase financial investment, and expand the country's capacity for data collection and analysis. Lessons learnt: The assessment framework allowed us to identify areas where information is lacking and use already available data to analyse multiple health outcomes. As well as identifying issues that need to be addressed during the next policy development cycle, our findings have contributed towards the preparation of a more extensive assessment.

Patient and family engagement in patient safety in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Patients can play a key role in delivering safe care by becoming actively involved in their health care. This study aimed at reviewing the literature for evidence of patients' and families' engagement in patient safety in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of the literature published in English using PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and PsycINFO until June 2023. RESULTS: A total of 9019 studies were screened, with 22 meeting the inclusion criteria. Our review found few published studies of patient and family engagement in patient safety research in the EMR. Thirteen studies explored the attitudes, perceptions, and/or experiences / preferences of patients, families, and healthcare providers (HCPs) regarding patient engagement in patient safety. Nine publications reported patient involvement in patient safety activities at varying levels. Three categories of factors were identified that may affect patient involvement: patient-related (e.g., lack of awareness on their role in preventing harms, unwillingness to challenge HCPs' authority, and cultural barriers); HCP-related (e.g., negative attitudes towards patient engagement, poor patient-provider communication, and high workload); and healthcare setting-related (e.g., lack of relevant policies and guidelines, lack of training for patients, and HCPs, and lack of patient-centered approach). CONCLUSION: This review highlighted limitations in the current literature on patient and family engagement in patient safety in the EMR, including both the depth of evidence and clarity of concepts. Further research is needed to explore how to actively involve patients and their families, as well as to determine whether such involvement translates into improved safety in practice.

A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: concepts, rationale, tools and uses.

BACKGROUND: Community health needs and assets assessment is a means of identifying and describing community health needs and resources, serving as a mechanism to gain the necessary information to make informed choices about community health. The current review of the literature was performed in order to shed more light on concepts, rationale, tools and uses of community health needs and assets assessment. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of the literature published in English using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PDQ evidence, NIH database, Cochrane library, CDC library, Trip, and Global Health Library databases until March 2021. RESULTS: A total of 169 articles including both empirical papers and theoretical and conceptual work were ultimately retained for analysis. Relevant concepts were examined guided by a conceptual framework. The empirical papers were dominantly conducted in the  United States. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method approaches were used to collect data on community health needs and assets, with an increasing trend of using mixed-method approaches. Almost half of the included empirical studies used participatory approaches to incorporate community inputs into the process. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the need for having holistic approaches to assess community's health needs focusing on physical, mental and social wellbeing, along with considering the broader systems factors and structural challenges to individual and population health. Furthermore, the findings emphasize assessing community health assets as an integral component of the process, beginning foremost with community capabilities and knowledge. There has been a trend toward using mixed-methods approaches to conduct the assessment in recent years that led to the inclusion of the voices of all community members, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. A notable gap in the existing literature is the lack of long-term or longitudinal-assessment of the community health needs assessment impacts.

Engaging patients in patient safety: a qualitative study examining healthcare managers and providers' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Patients can play an essential role in improving patient safety by becoming actively involved in their health care. The present study aimed to qualitatively explore healthcare providers' (HCPs) and managers' perceptions on patient participation in patient safety processes. METHODS: This qualitative study carried out in three teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 31 HCPs and managers working at public teaching hospitals, medical universities and the Ministry of Health. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes and 21 sub-themes emerged from the interviews. Participants believed that patients and their families can play an effective role in maintaining and improving patient safety through different roles. However, a variety of barriers were identified at patients, providers, and system levels hindering patient participation in delivering safe care. CONCLUSION: The participants identified facilitators and barriers to patient engagement in safety-orientated activities at multiple patients, providers, and system levels, indicating that complex, multifaceted initiatives must be designed to address the issue. This study encourages further research to enhance the understating of the problems and solutions to patient involvement in safety initiatives in the Iranian healthcare setting.

Agenda-setting of tobacco control policy in Iran: a retrospective policy analysis study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of tobacco use, especially hookah, has increased in Iran In recent years, particularly among young people and women, and the age of onset of use has decreased. Tobacco use is the fourth leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases in Iran. These issues cause concerns in the country and led to the present study on tobacco control agenda-setting in Iran over a 30-year timeframe. METHODS: We conducted this retrospective analytical study to investigate process analysis in Iran using Kingdon's multiple-streams framework (MSF). We collected the data using semi-structured interviews with key informants (n = 36) and reviewing policy documents (n > 100). Then, we analyzed the policy documents and in-depth interviews using the document and framework analysis method. We used MAXQDA 11 software to classify and analyze the data. RESULTS: Iran's accession to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) opened a window of opportunity for tobacco control. The policy window opens when all three streams have already been developed. The adoption of the comprehensive law on the national control and campaign against tobacco in the Islamic Consultative Assembly in 2006 is a turning point in tobacco control activities in Iran. CONCLUSIONS: The tobacco control agenda-setting process in Iran was broadly consistent with MSF. The FCTC strengthened the comprehensive plan for national control of tobacco as a policy stream. However, there are several challenges in developing effective policies for tobacco control in the Iranian setting.

HIV/AIDS policy-making in Iran: A stakeholder analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aims to identify and analyze HIV/AIDS stakeholders in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative stakeholder analysis was conducted in 2018 nationwide, both retrospectively and prospectively. Purposive sampling was applied and followed by snowball sampling until data saturation. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. Also, MAXQDA (Version 11) and Policy Maker software (version 4) was applied. FINDINGS: A total of 44 stakeholders were identified and categorized into 23 active and 21 inactive stakeholders. The Ministry of Education and Iran Broadcasting have moderate participation in this regard. Supreme Council of Health and NGOs have low participation. The Ministry of Health (MoH), State Welfare Organization, Blood Transfusion Organization, and the State Prisons are interested in HIV/AIDS policymaking. The MoH is the main body responsible for the stewardship of HIV/AIDS in Iran but does not have enough authority to handle the issue. CONCLUSION: Considering multidimensional nature of HIV/AIDS, there are many stakeholders regarding HIV/AIDS control. The process of HIV/AIDS -policy making is fragmented in Iran. Despite multiple active and potential stakeholders in this field, there is no integrated system to involve all stakeholders in the process of HIV/AIDS policy-making. Therefore, given the importance of the issue, an upstream entity is needed to coordinate and mobilize all stakeholders associated with managing and controlling HIV/AIDS.

Integrated and People-centred Hospital toward Universal Health Coverage in WHO- European Countries.

Background: Ensuring integrated people-centred health services (IPCHS) that offer universal access, social equity, and financial protection within a primary health care method is important toward universal health coverage and health sustainable development goals. Hospitals are part of this ambitious agenda. The purpose is to review the health system and to list and summarize hospital interventions. Methods: Document review. As part of our review, we selected health systems reports for conceptualizing IPCHS frameworks at the country level as well as those focusing on the hospital sector. Our research team collected and analyzed data including governance, financing, human resource, provision service, and reforms based on the health system report of 14 countries. Results: The review showed 26 challenges, most of which were in Eastern European countries, with 48 interventions in 3 themes and 13 subthemes. Conclusion: Due to the paradigm shift, there is a need for change. However, a much better positive view is needed to determine the role of hospitals in the service delivery system. The IPCHS framework provides guidance for countries in setting priorities, and formulating, implementing, and evaluating national policy/strategic plans for their hospital sector. Although the vision and interventions should be adapted to local context, different policy instruments may be needed to specifically tackle the most pressing local issues. Recognizing differences in countries' contexts will help to develop realistic and applicable solutions.

Models and methods for determining the optimal number of beds in hospitals and regions: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Determining the optimal number of hospital beds is a complex and challenging endeavor and requires models and techniques which are sensitive to the multi-level, uncertain, and dynamic variables involved. This study identifies and characterizes extant models and methods that can be used to determine the required number of beds at hospital and regional levels, comparing their advantages and challenges. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, Embase and PubMed databases, with the search terms hospital bed capacity, hospital bed need, hospital, bed size, model, and method. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies met the criteria to be included in the review. Of these studies, a total of 11 models and 5 methods were identified, mainly designed to determine hospital bed capacity at the regional level. Common determinants of the required number of hospital beds in these models included demographic changes, average length of stay, admission rates, and bed occupancy rates. CONCLUSIONS: There are no specific norms for the required number of beds at hospital and regional levels, but some of the identified models and methods may be used to estimate this number in different contexts. Moreover, it is important to consider alternative approaches to planning hospital capacity like care pathways to fix the limitations of "bed numbers".

How Cancer Supportive and Palliative Care is Developed: Comparing the Policy-Making Process in Three Countries from Three Continents.

BACKGROUND: Supportive and palliative care worldwide is recognized as one of the six main cancer control bases and plays an important role in managing the complications of cancer. Limited studies have been published in the field of this policy analysis in the world. AIM: This study aimed to analysis the policy-making process of supportive and palliative cancer care in three countries. METHODOLOGY: This qualitative study is a part of a comparative study. The data were collected through reviewing scientific and administrative documents, the World Health Organization website and reports, government websites, and other authoritative websites. Searches were done through texts in English and valid databases, in the period between 2000 and 2018. To investigate the policy process, heuristic stages model is implemented consisting of the four stages: agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation, and policy evaluation. RESULTS: The findings of the study were categorized based on the conceptual model used in four areas related to the policy process, including agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation, and evaluation of cancer palliative care policies. CONCLUSION: Several factors are involved in how cancer palliative care policy is included in policy-makers' agenda, understanding a necessity, raising public awareness, and acceptance as a result of sensing the physical and nonphysical care outcomes. The stages of development, implementation, and evaluation of palliative care in countries regardless of existing differences are a function of the health system and context of each country.

Study of ambulatory care supervision mechanisms in health systems: A comparative study.

Background: Supervision in health sector means a system, process, or mechanism by which some aspects or characteristics of a health care organization is evaluated and analyzed by an external body. This study compared the mechanisms of supervision in ambulatory care in selected countries to provide lessons learnt from global experiences. Methods: In this comparative study USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Turkey, and Iran were selected based on inclusion criteria, including development level and type of the health system. Required data were gathered by searching the internet, browsing the websites of related organizations, and searching research databases. Then, the results were summarized and reported using comparative tables. Results: Some regulations and frameworks exist for assuring and improving the quality and safety of the services in all health systems. The supervising bodies of this subject include central and local governments along with nongovernmental organizations. The supervision in studied countries is mostly compulsory and unannounced. Moreover, accreditation of ambulatory care exists voluntarily and compulsorily. Results of the supervision include temporary or permanent suspension of license for care provision, impact on payment to the providers, and change in popularity of the provider by public communication of the result. Conclusion: Improving the supervision on ambulatory care requires an effective structure for separation of provider and supervisor and the involvement of the professional associations. It is suggested to elevate the ambulatory care supervision through better resource allocation, follow up of the supervision results, enforcement of regulations, and application of novel approaches.

Correction to: A systematic review on hospital inefficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: sources and solutions.

In the original publication of this article [1], one author's name needs to be revised from Pavaneh Isfahani to Parvaneh Isfahani.

A systematic review on hospital inefficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: sources and solutions.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating hospital efficiency is a process to optimize resource utilization and allocation. This is vital due to hospitals being the largest financial cost in a health system. To limit avoidable uses of hospital resources, it is important to identify the sources of hospital inefficiencies and to put in place measures towards their reduction and elimination. Thus, the purpose of this research is to examine the sources of hospital inefficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and existing strategies tackling this issue. METHODS: In this study, the electronic databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Embase, Google, Google Scholar, and reference lists of selected articles, were explored. Studies on inefficiency, sources of inefficiency, and strategies for inefficiency reduction in the Eastern Mediterranean region hospitals, published between January 1999 and May 2018, were identified. A total of 1466 articles were selected using the initial criteria. After further reviews based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 56 studies were eligible for this study. The chosen studies were conducted in Iran (n = 35), Saudi Arabia (n = 5), Tunisia (n = 5), Jordan (n = 4), Pakistan (n = 2), the United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Iraq, Oman, and Afghanistan (n = 1 each). These studies were analyzed using content analysis in MAXQDA 10. RESULTS: The analysis showed that approximately 41% of studies used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure hospital efficiency. Sources of hospital inefficiency were divided into four categories for analysis: Hospital products and services, hospital workforce, hospital services delivery, and hospital system leakages. CONCLUSION: This study has revealed some sources of inefficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Region hospitals. Inefficiencies are thought to originate from excess workforce, excess beds, inappropriate hospital sizes, inappropriate workforce composition, lack of workforce motivation, and inefficient use of health system inputs. It is suggested that health policymakers and managers use this evidence to develop appropriate strategies towards the reduction of hospital inefficiency.

Comprehensive analysis of the HIV/AIDS policy-making process in Iran.

BACKGROUND: A huge number of people living with HIV/AIDS lives in developing countries. Thus, strengthening health systems in these countries is a prerequisite for improving disease prevention and care. After three decades of HIV/AIDS policy-making in Iran, conducting a comprehensive analysis on the policy process seems to be essential. In the present study, we aimed to analyse the HIV/AIDS policy-making process in Iran from 1986 to 2016. METHODS: This was a theory-based, multi-method and retrospective study. Interviewing of key informants and review of policy documents were concurrently conducted to identify and include further key informants (39 participants) and documents in the study. Framework analysis was used to analyse data. RESULTS: The mean age of participants working in HIV/AIDS policy-making was of 48 years and participants had a mean of 14 years of working experience. Findings were categorized as contextual factors, content of HIV/AIDS policies, actors involved in the policy process, and evidence use in the policy process. Contextual effective factors on the HIV/AIDS policy-making process were categorized into five major themes, namely situational factors, structural-managerial factors, socioeconomic factors, political and legal factors, and international factors. The HIV/AIDS phenomenon in Iran was identified to be deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of society. The HIV/AIDS policy content has, recently, been crystallized in the national strategic plans and harm reduction policies of the country. The policy process has been conducted with a solely governmental top-down approach and is now suffering from poor evidence and lack of sufficient consideration of contextual factors. CONCLUSIONS: There is a great need for change in the approach of government towards the issue and to increase the participation of non-governmental sectors and civil society in the policy process.

Risk factors of neonatal mortality in Iran: a systematic review.

Background: Reducing neonatal mortality is an important measure to reduce the overall under-five-years' mortality. Identifying the risk factors is the first step in this regard. This study performed with the aim of determining the risk factors of the neonatal mortality in Iran. Methods: Databases of SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IronDoc and Google Scholar for the Persian resources and Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, ISI web of science and Cochrane for English resources were searched up to January 2017. The inclusion criteria were the studies analyzing at least one risk factor for neonatal mortality in Iran with a control group and multivariate regression analysis. Eight papers met the inclusion criteria. The risk factors were extracted and tabulated. Results: Of the 1713 records retrieved, 8 were eligible to include in the analysis. Preterm birth, low birth weight, smoking and addiction, and anomaly were the important risk factors of neonatal mortality in Iran. Moreover, an extended list of potential risk factors identified on most of which the evidence was controversial and insufficient. The factors categorized into modifiable and identifiable ones. Conclusion: On the modifiable risk factors, proper intervention, and on the non-modifiable ones, early detection and special care may be helpful in preventing the babies from death. Population-based studies with large sample size and multivariate analysis are needed to make clear the effect size of the identified risk factors.

The most frequent and important events that threaten patient safety in intensive care units from the perspective of health-care professionals'.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a priority in all health-care centers across the world. This study aimed to determine the frequency of events that threaten patient safety and the grade threating of events from the perspective of the health-care professionals in the intensive care units (ICUs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016. The participants were 306 members of health-care professionals (physicians and nurses) with at least 1 year of work experience in ICUs of educational hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a three-section self-made questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution and percentage) and version 16 of SPSS software. RESULTS: A total of 306 questionnaires were completed out of 320 questionnaires handed out among participants. During the last month, 91.2% of the participants had reported at least a case of medication error, 75.6% had reported at least a case of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and 74.2% had reported at least a case of catheter-induced urinary infection in ICUs. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of events threatening the patient safety in ICUs warrants proper planning by administrators of health-care centers. Medication error was the most frequent and important event of threat to patient safety and falling was the least frequent event of threat to patient safety in ICUs. Considering the frequency and magnitude of medication error in ICUs, a well-adjusted preventive plan should be designed and implemented to improve the patient safety.

Application of policy analysis frameworks in tobacco control research: A systematic review of qualitative literature.

Background: Tobacco consumption is still considered as the first preventable cause of death in the world. In order to influence tobacco policy process, researchers and policymakers must use frameworks of policy-making to understand the process to provide them insights for influence the process. This systematic review aims to review the application of policy analysis frameworks in the field of tobacco control. Methods: A systematic search for articles was performed using four databases (Ovid Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and PubMed) up to December 19, 2016. The articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All research studies focusing on tobacco policy and on one or more specified frameworks of policy analysis included in this study. Finally, thematic analysis was used to synthesize the findings. Results: 17 studies based on eligibility criteria were included in this study. The findings of this study showed that most of the studies were in North America, published in the Health journals, conducted to analyze the national and state policies, focused on analyzing agenda-setting phase. Multiple streams model was the most widely used framework within the literature. Few studies had used advocacy coalition framework. From the three agenda setting frameworks and theories (MSF, PEF, ACF), the ACF framework is the most detailed framework in terms of elements and factors affecting the dynamics of political sub-system the reasons for models selection and suitability for the study was noted only in a small number of studies. The results of this study showed underuse and the incomplete or improper use of policy analysis models and frameworks in the field of tobacco research. Conclusion: The study showed that a number of theories and frameworks have been used but their use was limited and have significant methodological weaknesses.

Implementing root cause analysis in Iranian hospitals: challenges and benefits.

Root cause analysis (RCA) has been widely used for retrospective investigations of patient safety incidents. To increase patient safety competencies, RCA has recently been introduced in Iranian hospitals. The aims of the current study were to explore team members' experiences and perceptions of RCA and to identify the challenges and benefits of using it in Iranian hospitals from their perspective. A qualitative study was conducted consisting of 32 semi-structured interviews with health professionals who participated in the national training programme and were involved in RCA investigations. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The participants encountered a range of obstacles while conducting RCA, including time constraints, a lack of resources, the blame culture and unsupportive colleagues. They stressed the need for further leadership support and cultural change within the Iranian healthcare system to facilitate the application of RCA. RCA was perceived as a beneficial analytical tool that improved patient care, fostered teamwork and communication among staff and promoted safety culture. This study concluded that applying RCA in the Iranian healthcare setting has had a significant impact on improving commitment to safety. However, the general adoption of this method is hindered by the lack of workplace and system supports. To maximize profits from RCA, clinical leaders must assign a high priority to RCA investigations and support RCA team efforts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Organizational failure and turnaround in public sector organizations: A systematic review of the evidence.

Background: Existing evidence with regards to the organizational failure and turnaround are derived from the private sector. There is few corresponding review of the empirical evidence in the public sector. This review aimed at providing a summary of the research investigating the above items in the public sector. Methods: A search strategy was developed to identify empirical studies relating to organizational failure or turnaround process in public sector services on HMIC, Medline; SSCI, ASSIA, Business Source Premier, The SIEGLE and the ASLIB Index. A total of 11 673 studies were identified initially. After screening process of the articles, 23 studies were included in the systematic review. The selected studies were appraised and findings were synthesized. Results: Symptoms of organizational failure along with secondary and primary causes of failure within different public organizations were identified. Factors that trigger organizational change were extracted. The review revealed that most of the studies employed turnaround strategies including reorganization, retrenchment, and repositioning, which are referred to "3Rs" strategies. The role of contextual factors in turnaround and the impact of turnaround strategies on organizational performance were explored. Furthermore, the key similarities and differences between 2 sectors in organizational failure and the turnaround process were demonstrated. Conclusion: This review highlighted the gap in the literature in organizational failure and turnaround interventions within the public sector.

Fail to prepare and you can prepare to fail: the experience of financing path changes in teaching hospitals in Iran.

BACKGROUND: In 1995, teaching and public hospitals that are affiliated with the ministry of health and medical education (MOHME) in Iran were granted financial self-sufficiency to practice contract-based relations with insurance organizations. The so-called "hospital autonomy" policy involved giving authority to the insurance organizations to purchase health services. The policy aimed at improving hospitals' performance, hoping to reduce government's costs. However, the policy was never implemented as intended. This was because most participating hospitals gave up to implement autonomous financing and took other financing pathways. This paper analyses the reasons for the gap between the intended policy and its execution. The lessons learned from this analysis can inform, we envisage, the implementation of similar initiatives in other settings. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 national and 13 regional health policy experts. We also gathered a comprehensive and purposeful set of related documents and analyzed their content. The qualitative data were analyzed by thematic inductive-deductive approach. RESULTS: We found a number of prerequisites and requirements that were not prepared prior to the implementing hospital autonomy policy and categorized them into policy content (sources of funds for the policy), implementation context (organization of insurance organizations, medical tariffs, hospitals' organization, feasibility of policy implementation, actors and stakeholders' support), and implementation approach (implementation method, blanket approach to the implementation and timing of implementation). These characteristics resulted in unsuitable platform for policy implementation and eventually led to policy failure. CONCLUSIONS: Autonomy of teaching hospitals and their exclusive financing through insurance organizations did not achieve the desired goals of purchaser-provider split in Iran. Unless contextual preparations are in place, hospital autonomy will not succeed and problematic financial relations between service providers and patients in autonomous hospitals may not be ceased as a result.

Application of Bow-tie methodology to improve patient safety.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to apply Bow-tie methodology, a proactive risk assessment technique based on systemic approach, for prospective analysis of the risks threatening patient safety in intensive care unit (ICU). Design/methodology/approach - Bow-tie methodology was used to manage clinical risks threatening patient safety by a multidisciplinary team in the ICU. The Bow-tie analysis was conducted on incidents related to high-alert medications, ventilator associated pneumonia, catheter-related blood stream infection, urinary tract infection, and unwanted extubation. Findings - In total, 48 potential adverse events were analysed. The causal factors were identified and classified into relevant categories. The number and effectiveness of existing preventive and protective barriers were examined for each potential adverse event. The adverse events were evaluated according to the risk criteria and a set of interventions were proposed with the aim of improving the existing barriers or implementing new barriers. A number of recommendations were implemented in the ICU, while considering their feasibility. Originality/value - The application of Bow-tie methodology led to practical recommendations to eliminate or control the hazards identified. It also contributed to better understanding of hazard prevention and protection required for safe operations in clinical settings.