ECRI names Clinica Imbanaco winner of the 2024 Health Technology Excellence Award

ECRI, a global independent healthcare and patient safety nonprofit, names Clinica Imbanaco the winner of its 2024 Health Technology Excellence Award. ECRI’s annual award honors a member facility for implementing an exceptional initiative to improve patient safety, reduce costs, or otherwise facilitate better strategic management of health technology.

Clinica Imbanaco is one of southwestern Colombia’s largest, most distinguished full-service hospitals. Clinica Imbanaco was the first health institution in southwestern Colombia to obtain the seal of accreditation from Joint Commission International, the world’s highest distinction in health quality, and Planetree’s gold seal certification for patient-centered care. It offers a comprehensive range of medical services.

Clinica Imbanaco was selected for the award in recognition of several initiatives they executed to improve the management of health technology and patient safety.

• To acquire an intra and extracranial surgery system, the clinic implemented a comparative evaluation model based on scientific evidence methodology. This approach to acquiring new technologies helps identify the most effective and safe option for patients and minimize the risk of complications.
• A medical equipment alarm management program was successfully implemented in the complex clinic environment to ensure the relevant and critical alarms are forwarded to the correct personnel from patient monitoring and bedside devices.
• The clinic established an in-house metrology lab that achieved ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation, meeting the organization's international quality standards for the efficacy, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories.
• The clinic led efforts to reduce corrective maintenance costs and medical technology-related failures.
• For safe and secure drug administration to patients, the hospital implemented an intelligent infusion system that minimizes programming errors. The system’s customized drug library includes dosing ranges and other safety limits for individual drugs.

“We are impressed with the broad range of health technology initiatives led by Clinica Imbanaco to enhance patient safety,” says Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and CEO of ECRI. “Over the last several years, they elevated so many facets of patient care through technology – from the calculated acquisition of new surgery equipment to the safe and responsible use of existing tools, and standardizing medication delivery with safeguards. We applaud their commitment to stay vigilant in the use of health technology for their patients.”

“It is with great honor and modesty that we receive this recognition that reflects the commitment of our people to our patient safety culture based on our core values: service, integrity, teamwork and excellence. Our people, through their leadership, allow us to achieve this type of award for our patients as a result of the hard work of our clinical engineering team,” said Rafael Gonzalez Molina, CEO of Clinica Imbanaco.

"Our clinical engineering team is connected to the higher purpose of the organization: to preserve health and life by delivering humanized and excellent care. We are proud to be recognized with the ECRI Health Technology Excellence Award and deeply grateful to receive it. It's the result of involving the stakeholders in the implementation of technological management processes to guarantee safe medical equipment,” said Karent Muñoz Salazar, Head of Clinical Engineering for Clinica Imbanaco.

Read more about award-winning initiatives led by Clinica Imbanaco and see past winners of the Health Technology Excellence Award.


For more information:
Contact Yvonne Rhodes, YRhodes@ECRI.org

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 technology evaluation and safety, ECRI is respected and trusted by healthcare leaders and agencies worldwide. Over the past fifty-five 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. Visit www.ecri.org.