ECRI Perspectives

ECRI Perspectives: Can We Build it?

Can We Build it? Yes We Can!

Hello from your engineering friends at ECRI’s Device Evaluation Group. As we’ve been eagerly waiting for our local status to go from “very high risk” to the comparatively chill “high risk”, ECRI’s been focusing on building lately.

Building on our legacy of speaking truth to power! This April marked fifty years since the launch of the first edition of ECRI’s Health Devices journal. Our first evaluation of manually operated resuscitators, published in the April 1971 issue of Health Devices, was conducted in a preFDA world in which there really wasn’t anyone else looking out for the safety and efficacy of medical equipment, and we found that nine of the 18 brands of resuscitators were incapable of safely resuscitating patients, leading us to rate them “unacceptable” and spread the message of Do Not Buy. Some delivered too low a volume for most adults, some were difficult to assemble correctly, and I believe one could be inadvertently configured to pull air back out of a patient! As a result of our evaluation, eight of these “unacceptable” models were removed from the market by their manufacturers, and several additional products were improved by their manufacturers to address our concerns.

Fifty years later, we’re still helping to improve medical devices. The new sentinel event alert from The Joint Commission (TJC) on optimizing smart pump safety with dose error reduction software suggests the use of ISMP guidelines and recommendations and champions infusion pump integration, which we’ve been advocating for over 10 years! See the Alert at https://www.jointcommission.org/ resources/patient-safety-topics/sentinelevent/sentinel-event-alert-newsletters/ sentinel-event-alert-63-optimizing-smartinfusion-pump-safety-with-ders/

Building a new headquarters! ECRI’s site in Plymouth Meeting PA is an active construction site this year, as we eagerly look forward to a light-filled three story tower that’s slated for completion this winter. We said a fond farewell and so long to the old one-story section of the building this spring, but not before letting in the local firefighters to have some fun in the empty site. Bonus points awarded if you can name some of the rooms pictured and spot the former home of the Max cart! https:// morethanthecurve.com/firefightersfrom-barren-hill-volunteer-firecompany-spent-the-morning-training/

Building on the supply chain lessons learned over the past year! We partnered with AHVAP to publish a free White Paper, “Evolution of Risk Mitigation in Value Analysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic with some nice tips for assessing nontraditional suppliers based on our members’ experience in finding PPE from everywhere

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What We’re All Anticipating

During the virtual meeting, two Keynote speakers help explain how to enrich and empower a workplace during difficult times.

On Monday, motivational speaker Brad Montgomery will provide a humorous and inspirational take on how to motivate teammates, encouraging positivity, optimism, and meaningfulness within organizations. And on Wednesday Author Jim Knight will offer fresh, new insights on organizational cultures, including practical leadership initiatives that can be immediately implemented.

The AAMI eXchange REWIRED talks will wrap up on Friday 2 to 4PM ET with a very anticipated keynote speaker. Attendees will get a rare opportunity to meet a leader from the Joint under the sun. We helped our members source, test, and validate PPE this past year, and along with the shocking finding that a lot of the imported N-95 masks we tested didn't perform as specified, we picked up some good ideas for finding, vetting, and acquiring supplies from nontraditional suppliers. You can find the white paper at https://www.ecri.org/ecriahvap-whitepaper-evolution-riskmitigation-value-analysis-covid-19

I hope we’re able to connect in person this year! But, in the meantime, wash your hands, watch out for EUA devices and creative users, and, as always, tell us what you’re seeing.

Erin Sparnon ECRI Sr. Engineering Manager, Device Evaluation esparnon@ecri.org

Commission in an interactive session.

Herman McKenzie, director of the Department of Engineering in the Standards Interpretation Group, leads the team responsible in developing and interpreting the Life Safety and Environment of Care Standards. Come with questions and have them answered in real time!

The expanded schedule for 2021 will ensure that there is always something new to see at AAMI eXchange REWIRED, and you’ll be able to design a high-impact schedule perfectly tailored to your interests. It is AAMI’s hope that you’ll join us to connect with your colleagues and gain new knowledge of products, standards, and regulations. For updates and registration

information, visit the AAMI eXchange REWIRED event site.

AAMI Staff