Patient safety organization ECRI comes out with its list of health technology hazards every year, and it often contains the same issues. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed much of that. The nonprofit organization is focusing this year on the need to move from trying to cope during an emergency to building stronger and more resilient […]
ECRI Institute
Patient safety group: Most KN95 masks inferior
Up to 70% of KN95 masks tested by patient-safety organization ECRI do not meet U.S. standards for effectiveness, the group announced today. The findings indicate increased risks of contracting COVID-19 for care providers and patients at hospitals and other healthcare organizations that imported the masks from China, according to the Plymouth, Pa.-based, not-for-profit group. Get the […]
Next COVID-19 device shortage? ‘Smart’ infusion pumps
Severely ill COVID-19 patients may need multiple medications delivered by infusion pumps. Manufacturers and hospitals are planning on how to avoid shortages of these pumps and the associated tubing. You’ve likely seen the videos of ICU hallways lined with medical devices that would normally be in patient rooms. Among them are machines that are ubiquitous […]
EPA proposes drastic cuts to EtO emissions nationwide
The EPA has announced plans to greatly reduce industrial emissions of ethylene oxide (EtO), the carcinogenic gas used to sterilize billions of medical devices annually. The agency proposed cutting EtO emissions from industrial facilities by 93% as part of amendments to the Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Manufacturing National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to reduce hazardous […]
Surgical staplers top ECRI’s list of top medtech hazards
ECRI Institute said today that surgical stapler misuse is the top health technology hazard, beating out the likes of point-of-care ultrasounds and sterile processing errors. The ECRI Institute said it intends to help surgical stapler users avoid many of the common errors that can lead to patient harm by publishing the 13th edition of its Top […]
ECRI Institute to open international medtech testing lab in Malaysia
ECRI Institute said it is launching its first medical device evaluation laboratory outside the United States. The ECRI International Research Centre in Selangor, Malaysia will evaluate medical devices used across all care settings in Europe and Asia to help medical professionals make informed decisions that improve patient safety, according to the nonprofit, independent organization. It is […]
National Guideline Clearinghouse to live on despite feds bowing out
The nonprofit that has run the recently shuttered National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) for 20 years plans to replace the website and run it privately. Funding to support the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) clinical practice guideline website ended on July 16. ECRI Institute, which developed and maintained NGC since its inception in 1998, […]
Diagnostic errors top ECRI Top 10 patient safety concerns list
Diagnostic errors, which approximately one out of every 20 adult patients experience every year, topped the list of the ECRI Institute’s top ten patient safety concerns for healthcare organizations in 2018. Diagnostic errors can have unexpected and serious repercussions, according to the report, including care gaps, repeat testing, unnecessary procedures and patient harm. “Diagnostic errors […]
ECRI lists the top 10 medical device hazards
The ECRI Institute this month released its top 10 health technology hazards for the next year, with Infusion errors and inadequate cleaning of reusable instruments topping the list. The ECRI institute is a nonprofit dedicated to analyzing and researching which medical procedures, devices, drugs and processes are best to improve patient care, the group said. […]
ECRI, LSE partner for medical device pricing study
The ECRI Institute said earlier this month it inked a partnership deal with the London School of Economics and Political Science’s LSE Health and Social Care group. The Plymouth Meeting, Penn.-based institute said both groups will collaborate on a project that seeks to examine medical device pricing across different countries. “Reducing costs in the healthcare […]
Mobile stroke units, cybersecurity top ECRI 2016 innovation watch list
The ECRI Institute today released a top 10 watch list for innovations that are “molding the landscape of healthcare in 2016 and beyond,” placing mobile stroke units, medical device cybersecurity and wireless wearable sensors at the top. The list is meant to highlight important new or emerging issues in healthcare with intentions of improving safety […]
