ECRI and HealthEquip team up to provide N95-style mask testing

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA and WHEATON, IL—ECRI and HealthEquip have partnered to provide easy access to independent laboratory testing of N95-style masks which are in great demand by healthcare organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. ECRI is the only independent organization offering specialized PPE testing services with customized consultation and recommendations to assist healthcare providers in keeping staff and patients safe. Healthequip’s marketplace enables procurement of PPE from trusted sources and by adding ECRI’s testing services offers yet another layer of protection against counterfeit PPE.

“Aligning with ECRI to offer our buyers independent laboratory testing services makes sense because it provides an additional opportunity to validate products prior to purchase. The goal of our marketplace is to provide protective equipment to buyers that has been highly vetted through a series of steps including vetting the supplier for good standing, verifying FDA and CDC/NIOSH certification at the item level, checking references, and indicating willingness to provide samples. With ECRI testing, we are thrilled to now offer our buyers an added layer of procurement protection,” explains Bill Burke, CEO of HealthEquip.

ECRI’s N95-Style Mask Testing Program provides assurance on whether masks that an organization plans to purchase meets industry standards. In a recent study, ECRI found that up to 70 percent of the Chinese KN95 masks it tested do not meet U.S. standards for effectiveness. ECRI’s laboratories test the efficiency of masks using a machine identical to that which NIOSH uses in its N95 certification process to assure masks perform at the level claimed. ECRI provides buyers with data to make informed decisions and can recommend functionally equivalent alternatives to meet their needs.

By testing imported masks, as well as isolation gowns, ECRI helps healthcare organizations validate products prior to purchase and verify the safety and quality of products already in inventory.

“ECRI is excited to partner with HealthEquip and look forward to offering all PPE buyers added assurance, though our testing services, that they are getting the safe, high quality products that they expected,” states Tim Browne, executive director of supply chain services at ECRI.

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• .@ECRI_Org and @health_equip team up to provide independent #N95-style mask testing to healthcare orgs

About HealthEquip

HealthEquip by Merit Solutions is a PPE specific marketplace providing PPE procurement from a selection of highly vetted sellers and products, all with designed-in consideration for FDA and CDC/NIOSH certification requirements. It uses a shopping cart experience with multiple seller storefronts, managed finance flows and updated pricing and inventory information. HealthEquip’s success, credibility and proven track record with their leading PPE donor platform during the initial pandemic phase led to the formation of the marketplace, where PPE buyers and sellers can transact safely and transparently. For more information on HealthEquip, including engaging to buy, sell, or donate PPE, please see www.healthequip.com

About Merit Solutions

Merit Solutions empowers Life Sciences Manufacturers and Healthcare organizations to become more efficient, manage growth and maintain compliance. An award winning, Microsoft Gold Partner, Merit specializes in the delivery of industry specific managed services including Merit for Life Sciences™ built with Microsoft Dynamic D365, and HealthEquip™, a smart application built on Microsoft Azure. Visit www.meritsolutions.com

About ECRI

ECRI is an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings. With a focus on patient safety, evidence-based medicine, and health technology decision solutions, ECRI is respected and trusted by healthcare leaders and agencies worldwide. Over the past fifty years, ECRI has built its reputation on integrity and disciplined rigor, with an unwavering commitment to independence and strict conflict-of-interest rules.

ECRI is the only organization worldwide to conduct independent medical device evaluations, with labs located in North America and Asia Pacific. ECRI is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO is a federally certified Patient Safety Organization as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) formally became an ECRI Affiliate in 2020.

Visit www.ecri.org and follow @ECRI_Org.

For more information, contact:
Laurie Menyo, Director of Strategic Communications
(610) 825-6000, ext. 5310
lmenyo@ecri.org