ECRI once again has sounded the alarm of potentially unsafe issues involving healthcare products with the release of its annual Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2017 report. At the top of the list, which seeks to provide a practical tool for healthcare professionals, is infusion errors and new editions include hazards involving surgical staplers and software. Last year’s list specifically called out poor cleaning of flexible endoscopes, whereas this year ECRI cast a broader net over the inadequate cleaning of reusable instruments in general.
Top 10 Hazards
- Infusion Errors Can Be Deadly If Simple Safety Steps Are Overlooked
- Inadequate Cleaning of Complex Reusable Instruments Can Lead to Infections
- Missed Ventilator Alarms Can Lead to Patient Harm
- Undetected Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
- Infection Risks with Heater-Cooler Devices Used in Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Software Management Gaps Put Patients, and Patient Data, at Risk
- Occupational Radiation Hazards in Hybrid ORs
- Automated Dispensing Cabinet Setup and Use Errors May Cause Medication Mishaps
- Surgical Stapler Misuse and Malfunctions
- Device Failures Caused by Cleaning Products and Practices
| In an interview with MedTech Intelligence last year, ECRI experts explained the goal of the annual report, along with what device companies should be doing to mitigate some of the issues called out. Read the article |
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