Navigating the Death of a Pediatric Patient

​An ECRI member recently asked for information regarding support for healthcare providers navigating the death of a pediatric patient. In our response, we discuss strategies and provide relevant re...

Violence against Healthcare Staff: How Leaders in Ambulatory Care Can Keep Providers and Staff Safe

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers suffer from higher rates of workplace violence (i.e., verbal abuse such as threats, harassment, or intimidation, or physical abu...

Preventing Harm in Senior Care: Emerging Technologies to Mitigate Hazardous Wandering and Elopement

Caring for persons with dementia requires provider organizations to create tailored care delivery environments that enhance a person’s remaining capabilities while also supporting the special needs...

Combatting Nurse Fatigue for Improved Staff and Patient Safety

In the modern healthcare environment, healthcare workers often experience job-related fatigue, which can have a negative effect on patient and staff safety and well-being. In addition, worker fatig...

Increased Payer Support for Telemedicine May Improve Maternal Health Outcomes and Lower Costs

When compared to ten other developed nations, the United States has the highest maternal death rate. Yet, according to a recent maternal mortality review committee report by the Centers for Disease...

Utilizing Data from Wearable Devices

A member recently asked about liabilities associated with the utilization of data from nonprescription consumer wearable devices that track various health statuses (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure...

Ambulatory Care Providers Can Combat Sepsis through Prevention, Identification, and Treatment

Sepsis is the body's overwhelming response to infection and can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone can get an infec...

Three Strategies for Primary Care Providers to Ease the Pediatric Mental Health Crisis

The mental health of children is currently in crisis. According to an investigation reported in 2021 in JAMA Pediatrics, one in four children globally is experiencing elevated depressive symptoms a...

ECRI's Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for 2023

Each year, ECRI publishes a list of top patient safety concerns to call attention to safety risks that need to be addressed to keep patients and staff safe. Concerns on this year’s list are heavily...

Health Technology Assessments Vital to Payers for Defensible Coverage Determinations

In today's healthcare environment, payers are under increasing pressure to make new and updated medical policy determinations as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Health technology assessm...

Controversial New Study on Medical Masks versus N95 Respirators for COVID Prevention in Healthcare Workers

We noted with great interest the study by Loeb et al., published in the December 2022 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, as well as a helpful commentary and various reactions to the findings. In...

Advancing Patient Safety Through Better Designs or Processes: Top 10 Health Tech Hazards Part 2

This is part two of a two-part blog. A nurse's aide, when transferring a mother in labor to the delivery room, turned off the infusion pump delivering Pitocin, a drug administered intravenously to...

Top 10 Health Tech Hazards for 2023: A Tool to Reduce Preventable Harm

This is part one of a two-part blog. Reducing preventable harm is at the core of ECRI’s mission, and has been for more than 50 years. Since the publication of the first issue of the Health Devices...

Strategies to Help Improve Flu Vaccine Access for People of Color

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by various viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can even lead to death. Flu season started earlier than usual this s...

Don't Skip the Flu Shot This Year: 3 Reasons to Get One—Even If You Usually Don't

As always, influenza (flu) is in the news this time of year, along with recommendations that all eligible individuals get vaccinated against it. As many as 50% of eligible people typically skip a f...

3 Tips to Help Prepare Your Healthcare Facility for the Tridemic—RSV, Flu, and COVID

The tridemic is here—are you ready? By taking steps to understand the tridemic, and the effects it’s having on healthcare, your organization can better prepare for and manage the likely increase in...

Improving Physician Engagement During the New Product Selection Process

You’ve heard and followed the familiar adage, “consider the source.” And for good reason, since the adage reminds one to verify the trustworthiness of a source before heeding its content. Perhaps n...

5 Things Clinicians Should Know About the Complex World of Genetic Testing

Selecting the appropriate genetic test can be daunting, and busy clinicians can be hard pressed to stay up to date regarding the rapidly-evolving landscape of genomic medicine. They need to know wh...

8 Steps to Address Racial Bias in Healthcare

ECRI this year named Bias and Racism in Addressing Patient Safety as number three on its annual list of Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns. Racial and ethnic disparities have been well documented, and ...

The Most Common Hospital Accidents and How To Avoid Them

When working in healthcare, it is important to understand what types of accidents might your patients encounter. How can you work to dramatically reduce accidents and foster a greater culture of sa...

Four Ways to Prevent and Control Hospital-Acquired Infections

When a patient comes to your facilities for healthcare, they expect that you can effectively address the issue quickly and with ease and expertise. Now, imagine that this same individual ends up re...