The ECRI Institute has released their annual Top 10 Tech Hazards brief, which lists the most serious tech-related hazards facing healthcare providers and patients. It includes topics such as Clinical alarm hazards, Cyberattacks, and supply chain issues.
Cyberattacks
The ECRI Institute releases its annual Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report each year to highlight the safety issues facing the health industry. It identifies the top technology dangers for hospitals, medical practices, home care providers and other healthcare organizations.
The list is based on a mix of device tests, problem reports, and incident investigations. These are then weighed and evaluated by ECRI experts to determine which are the most important.
Cybersecurity threats are still the largest hazard to healthcare organizations. Healthcare cybersecurity attacks have increased by 300% in the past three years, according to Gemalto’s Data Breach Index.
Cybersecurity incidents can disrupt patient care, cause diversion of emergency vehicles, and lead to the closure of care units. To protect against such attacks, ECRI recommends implementing robust security procedures and planning for response. Ensure that you are using the latest security patches for your devices. If you are not, contact your vendors.
Insufficient cleaning of complex instruments is the second top hazard on ECRI’s list. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), manufacturers are building more security features into their medical devices. Some devices include duodenoscopes with disposable endcaps.
ECRI researchers are concerned that software vulnerabilities could allow hackers to gain remote access to devices. Ensure that you are running vulnerability scans in medical device networks.
ECRI also recommends documentation to support risk mitigation. The best cyber defense is a combined human and technology approach. Rapid detection and dismissal of threats is critical.
ECRI is a not-for-profit, nonprofit organization that works to enhance the safety of patients through the use of scientific research and applied research. ECRI is committed to helping healthcare facilities identify and overcome the most pressing safety issues.
The top 10 list is available to download for free from the ECRI website. The report highlights key safety concerns, provides resources to help health organizations address the risks, and highlights technology solutions that may help solve these issues.
The ECRI Institute’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards Report is an evidence-based guide to healthcare decision-makers. ECRI members have access to a Top 10 Health Technology Hazards Solutions Kit.
Endoscope reprocessing
Endoscope reprocessing failures occupy the number two spot on the ECRI Institute’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list for a second year in a row. The reprocessing process is complex and involves a wide range of steps. Improper reprocessing can lead to increased risk of infection, a complication, or even death.
Endoscope reprocessing is an ongoing process that should be performed in accordance with guidelines. Despite this, reprocessing failures are a growing issue. According to the ECRI Institute, these errors are responsible for the spread of deadly infections.
While endoscope reprocessing is largely a manual process, there are several key elements that should be followed to ensure successful reprocessing. These factors include the endoscope’s design and the endoscope’s storage environment.
For example, endoscopes stored in unventilated vertical cabinets are at risk of cross-contamination. This can promote the growth of microbes, making disinfection ineffective. A controlled environment storage cabinet is a viable solution for separating the dirty and clean storage areas.
There is also a need to perform routine microbiological surveillance in order to detect and prevent deviations. Microbiological analysis can help identify errors or failures in reprocessing. It is also important for quality assurance.
In addition, it is recommended to implement measures to remove moisture from reprocessed endoscopes. Moisture in the channels of endoscopes can encourage the proliferation of microbes.
During reprocessing, it is important to maintain the integrity of the entire process. Each step needs to be completed at the highest level. Some steps, such as leak testing, are commonly missed.
Another common failure is improper storage. A lack of standardization can make it difficult to avoid cross-contamination. Having a dedicated procedure aimed at speeding the delivery of endoscopes to the reprocessing room can be a good way to reduce this risk.
Finally, microbiological surveillance should be conducted at facilities with a high prevalence of high-concern organisms. Failure to follow this procedure can result in underreporting and a heightened risk of infection.
Having an updated list of the most dangerous health technology hazards is essential to highlighting critical issues. With the ECRI Institute’s annual top ten list, healthcare organizations can identify the top risks and work to eliminate them.
Supply chain issues
The ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit organization, released its annual Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report. This list highlights potential hazards in healthcare and provides tips and resources for prevention.
Healthcare entities and decision-makers can use the ECRI Institute’s Web-based Health Technology Hazard Self-Assessment Tool to determine their risk factors for each hazard. A downloadable executive brief and full report are also available.
One of the biggest challenges facing healthcare organizations is cybersecurity. Cyberattacks can disrupt operations, cause data breaches, and impede patient care. ECRI recommends a robust security plan to protect patients and medical devices.
Another major technology hazard on the list is Wi-Fi dropouts. These failures can lead to patient care delays and injuries.
Lastly, the ECRI report includes two hazards relating to pediatric patients. Both of these cite inaccurate and missing information in electronic health records as a problem.
While some of the top 10 hazards on the ECRI report are specific to technology, others are general risks that can be prevented or mitigated. For example, ECRI recommends testing EHR software to identify software vulnerabilities.
In addition to identifying the most important technologies and risks, the ECRI Institute also collects data on adverse events and near misses to inform healthcare leaders about the most significant safety issues. It does this by receiving incident reports from hospitals around the world.
To make their list, ECRI analysts evaluated topical issues and weighed the potential benefits of including them in their top 10. They then used incident investigations and reporting databases to analyze each topic to see which was the most likely to impact patient safety.
Among the most common technology hazards are supply chain shortfalls, infusion pump damage, and remote patient monitoring. All of these hazards can affect the safety of patients, staff, and systems. ECRI suggests focusing on protecting the most critical tech first.
If you’re looking for more information on the ECRI Institute’s top 10 health technology hazards, you can visit their website. Also, be sure to download the abridged version of the list, which is available for free. It’s an excellent resource for learning more about the hazards in health technology.
Clinical alarm hazards
The Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) recently released its annual Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list. It lists the hazards that have the highest potential to cause serious patient harm. Each year, the institute updates the list based on the severity of incidents reported by healthcare facilities throughout the country.
ECRI’s list identifies alarms as the second-highest health technology hazard. Alarms are generated by monitors, respiratory ventilators, injection pumps, and other medical devices. While alarms have the ability to alert medical personnel of equipment failures, they are also a major source of patient harm.
Alarm fatigue is a growing hazard for nurses and patients. Increasing demands on hospitals and a rising patient population have led to an increase in alarm numbers. But there is a need for improved alarm management and training.
One of the most important factors that should be considered when implementing clinical alarm management is the education of nurses. During their internships, young nurses should learn to recognize and react to alarms. They should be trained to understand how alarms work and how they can help their patient’s recovery.
Another key component of clinical alarm management is data exchange. Without reliable and timely information, it is difficult to make accurate assessments and make appropriate patient management decisions. This is particularly true in intensive care units. Integrated healthcare IT systems are necessary to ensure data integrity, reliability, and timely availability.
ECRI’s top 10 hazard list for 2016 includes eight new hazards. The top hazards include contaminated flexible endoscopes, inadequate change management for networked devices, and computed tomography radiation exposure to pediatric patients.
In addition to identifying potential risks, ECRI has developed resources to help providers improve their alert management practices. For example, the institute provides a free Web-based Health Technology Hazard Self-Assessment Tool that allows facilities to rate their risk factor level and receive specific facility recommendations for reducing the risks associated with each top ten hazard.
As the industry continues to evolve, new technologies will be introduced. To keep pace with changing needs, vendors should take advantage of existing data and use EHRs to make alarm management more effective.