ECRI Institute, an independent non-profit organization that works to improve patient care, is to hold a webinar on the hot topic of endoscope safety.
The webinar is a response to the recent number one ranking of endoscopes on ECRI Institute’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2016 list. It is also a response to the
recent high-profile US Senate report, Preventable Tragedies: Superbugs and How Ineffective Monitoring of Medical Device Safety Fails Patients, which focuses renewed attention on infection risks related to the cleaning and disinfection of scopes, as well as on gaps in reporting related infections and deaths.
The report, which discloses that more patients were affected by multidrug-resistant organisms spread through duodenoscopes than initially believed, raises questions about whether current reprocessing methods are sufficient.
"The fact that many of the duodenoscope infections occurred despite the use of industry-recommended reprocessing procedures raises new concerns," says c, engineering director at ECRI Institute. "Hospitals are wondering what they should do to ensure that all their flexible scopes are being effectively processed."
The webinar, titled Endoscope Reprocessing: Are We Doing Enough to Protect Patients? will be held on Wednesday, March 16, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (EST). It will review the evidence challenging the effectiveness of current reprocessing techniques. The webinar will feature ECRI Institute's Chris Lavanchy; Dr William Rutala, director of hospital epidemiology,
occupational health and safety program at University of North Carolina School of Medicine; and Michelle Day, team leader, Comprehensive Liver Center, Hartford Hospital, who has first-hand knowledge of endoscope reprocessing techniques.
This webinar is designed to help participants understand the various ways to decontaminate endoscopes; to realize what will be needed if healthcare facilities want to provide the highest assurance of patient safety; and to examine the pros and cons of decontaminating methods
The interactive format of ECRI Institute's webinar will provide ample time for participants to communicate with the panel during the Q&A session.
This webinar is directed towards risk managers, clinical and biomedical engineers, materials managers, OR managers, OR technicians, scope reprocessing staff, and other healthcare professionals
Webinar, ECRI Institute, US Senate, Chris Lavanchy, US
