Best Practices for Medical Technology Management: A U.S. Air Force-ECRI Collaboration
Abstract
For more than 25 years, the U.S. Air Force has contracted ECRI, an independent and nonprofit health services research agency, to disseminate patient safety medical device information to key staff at all Air Force hospitals worldwide. The nature of the information includes product recalls, notices regarding medical device hazards, product evaluations, guidance on the safe selection and use of medical devices, and systematic processes for managing hazards and recalls in an institutional health care environment. The information is used by biomedical engineering professionals, logistics personnel, clinicians, and administrators in support of the medical technology management programs in their hospitals. This article will discuss the use of this information in Air Force clinical facilities and the role of the Air Force Medical Logistics Office (AFMLO) in this communication process. It also will examine new electronic tools for managing medical device hazards, recalls, and other device-related patient safety information. The program featured in this discussion central to the Air Force's longstanding commitment to appropriate and consistent medical device safety management at each of its hospitals. It is a program that relies heavily on independent investigation to clarify medical device problems, including unbiased research into device performance and comparative product evaluations. Standardized naming conventions are used for hazard and recall notifications. Additionally, inventory databases are used to identify problematic devices in each hospital, while technical experts on a wide variety of medical technologies give consideration to the suspect devices. The Air Force collaboration with ECRI has led to the development of a best practice for the management and dissemination of medical device patient safety information from which the entire health care industry can benefit.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA434725
Entities
People
- James P. Keller Jr.
- Stephen Walker
Organizations
- United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality