What is root cause analysis used for in clinic incident investigations?

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Root cause analysis in clinic incident investigations aims to uncover the underlying factors that allowed an event to happen and to design corrective actions that prevent it from recurring. It looks beyond who made a mistake to examine system issues like workflows, communication, equipment, environment, policies, and training that contributed to the incident. By identifying these root causes, the team can implement changes that address the real problems and reduce the chance of recurrence across the clinic. Blame or punishment isn’t the goal, and while documenting the event for regulatory filing may be necessary, it isn’t the primary purpose of RCA. Training can be part of the corrective actions, but it’s integrated into broader improvements to prevent future incidents.