PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., July 8  -- ECRI Institute's Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System™, the most comprehensive medical device taxonomy, announces the expansion of its database to include thousands of new terms for medical devices, genetic tests and medical device software.

The 2010 Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System (UMDNS) now contains 24,544 terms covering the expanse of medical devices and equipment used for modern healthcare delivery, including information systems, software, in vitro diagnostics, molecular and genetic tests, capital equipment, implantable devices, assistive devices, and consumables.

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA—ECRI Institute® (www.ecri.org), a nonprofit healthcare organization that researches the best approaches to patient care, announces its recent purchase of the Biomedtalk Listserv, a popular email subscription service for biomedical and clinical engineering professionals where they can connect to share information and advice. 

Founded in 1997 by Mike Kauffman, assistant director of facilities for the Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Reading, PA, Biomedtalk became an active forum for discussion across all members of the biomedical and clinical engineering profession. 

The listserv now has over 1,700 members, having attracted over 100 new members since March 1, 2010, when ECRI Institute took the reins and discontinued the membership fee.

CHEM certification course helps train healthcare environmental safety and security managers 

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA—Threats of an influenza pandemic, bioterrorism, and natural disasters add up to a demanding job for environmental health, safety, and security (EHS&S) managers. In addition to facing these issues, EHS&S professionals must stay focused on the underlying goal—to protect workers and patients from hazards present in the everyday healthcare setting.

Heart alarm was off; device issues spotlight a growing national problem

By Liz Kowalczyk Globe Staff / February 21, 2010

A Massachusetts General Hospital patient died last month after the alarm on a heart monitor was inadvertently left off, delaying the response of nurses and doctors to the patient’s medical crisis.

Hospital administrators said they immediately began an investigation, which led them to inspect and disable the off switch on alarms on all 1,100 of Mass. General’s heart monitors within a day of the death. The hospital also has temporarily assigned a nurse in each unit to specifically listen for alarms, out of concern that sometimes even functioning alarms can’t be heard over the din of a busy ward.

5th Annual Award Will Recognize Excellence in Health Technology Management 

Deadline June 1, 2010

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA—ECRI Institute®, an independent, nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, is now accepting submissions to its fifth annual Health Devices Achievement Award program. The award honors healthcare facilities for achieving excellence in health technology management. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2010, and entries are accepted online at https://www.ecri.org/hdaward.  “Our member hospitals consistently undertake important initiatives to improve patient safety, improve healthcare quality, and reduce costs. Our goal is to not only honor their outstanding work, but to broadly share their best practices and lessons learned,” says James P. Keller, Jr., vice president, health technology evaluation and safety, ECRI Institute. 

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA— ECRI Institute® (www.ecri.org), a nonprofit healthcare organization that researches the best approaches to patient care, announces a new service contract enhancement to its BiomedicalBenchmark™ Web-based technology support system.

ECRI Institute has agreed to purchase the Biomedtalk Listserv from founder and manager Mike Kauffman.