The ECRI Institute has published their annual Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2018. As noted in the brief, the list is published each year to identify:
“…the potential sources of danger that we believe warrant the greatest attention for the coming year. The list does not enumerate the most frequently reported problems or the ones associated with the most severe consequences—although we do consider such information in our analysis. Rather, the list reflects our judgment about which risks should receive priority now.” (p. 2)
The list includes:
- Ransomware and Other Cybersecurity Threats to Healthcare Delivery Can Endanger Patients
- Endoscope Reprocessing Failures Continue to Expose Patients to Infection Risk
- Mattresses and Covers May Be Infected by Body Fluids and Microbiological Contaminants
- Missed Alarms May Result from Inappropriately Configured Secondary Notification Devices and Systems
- Improper Cleaning May Cause Device Malfunctions, Equipment Failures, and Potential for Patient Injury
- Unholstered Electrosurgical Active Electrodes Can Lead to Patient Burns
- Inadequate Use of Digital Imaging Tools May Lead to Unnecessary Radiation Exposure
- Workarounds Can Negate the Safety Advantages of Bar-Coded Medication Administration Systems
- Flaws in Medical Device Networking Can Lead to Delayed or Inappropriate Care
- Slow Adoption of Safer Enteral Feeding Connectors Leaves Patients at Risk
If you’re interested in getting your own copy of the Executive Brief, visit this link.
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