ECRI Institute has released its list of the Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2013. The annual report is based on the prevalence and severity of incidents reported by health care facilities and information found in the Institute’s medical device problem reporting databases.
The 2013 list, in order of ranking, is as follows:
- Alarm hazards
- Medication administration errors using infusion pumps
- Unnecessary exposures and radiation burns from diagnostic radiology procedures
- Patient/data mismatches in EHRs and other health IT systems
- Interoperability failures with medical devices and health IT systems
- Air embolism hazards
- Inattention to the needs of pediatric patients when using “adult” technologies
- Inadequate reprocessing of endoscopic devices and surgical instruments
- Caregiver distractions from smartphones and other mobile devices
- Surgical fires
The Institute says the list is designed to raise awareness of the potential dangers associated with the use of medical devices and systems and to help health care providers prioritize their technology safety initiatives. The list includes actionable recommendations for addressing each hazard.
If you have questions about the risk profiles of medical devices or other technology, please contact Mark R. Dahlby at mdahlby@wp.hallrender.com or 414-721-0902.
