Misuse of Home Medical Devices Listed as the Top Health Tech Safety Hazard

Misuse of medical devices at home is the most pressing health technology safety hazard, says one of the nation’s largest nonprofit patient safety organizations.

ECRI’s (formerly Emergency Care Research Institute) list of the top 10 safety hazards related to technology also includes concerns about AI and data security. Many medical devices, such as infusion pumps and ventilators, are designed for use by healthcare professionals in a controlled clinical environment and thus may be too complex for laypeople to use safely and effectively, ECRI researchers say.

Since 2008, ECRI has issued its list of the top 10 safety hazards related to technology.  The organization conducts independent medical device evaluations, drawing insight from incident investigations, reporting databases, and independent medical device testing. The list is intended as a tool for hospitals, health systems, ambulatory surgery centers, and manufacturers as a way to identify and mitigate risks.

Access a copy of the report here.

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