ECRI Institute to Host Endoscope Reprocessing Webinar

Endoscopes, vital tools in healthcare diagnostics and treatment, are back in the headlines. A recent high-profile U.S. Senate report, "Preventable Tragedies: Superbugs and How Ineffective Monitoring of Medical Device Safety Fails Patients," 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.
  
ECRI Institute named inadequate endoscope reprocessing number one on its Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2016 and will be holding an educational webinar on the topic on March 16, 2016. 
  
"The fact that many of the duodenoscope infections occurred despite the use of industry recommended reprocessing procedures raises new concerns," says Chris Lavanchy, engineering director at ECRI Institute. "Hospitals are wondering what they should do to ensure that all their flexible scopes are being effectively processed."
  
"Endoscope Reprocessing: Are We Doing Enough to Protect Patients?" to be held on Wednesday, March 16, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST, will review the evidence challenging the effectiveness of current reprocessing techniques. The webinar will feature ECRI Institute's Chris Lavanchy; William A. Rutala, PhD, MPH, director of hospital epidemiology, Occupational Health and Safety Program at University of North Carolina School of Medicine; and Michelle Day, MSN, CGRN, 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
•Realize what will be needed if healthcare facilities want to provide the highest assurance of patient safety 
•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.
  
Members of ECRI Institute's Health Devices System™, Health Devices Gold™, SELECTplus™, PSO, Healthcare Risk Control™, and Health Technology Assessment Information Service™ programs will receive access to this webinar at no cost as part of their membership. Advance registration is required. 
  
To learn more, visit ECRI Institute's free Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriacea (CRE) and Duodenoscope Resource Center, or contact ECRI Institute by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5889; by e-mail at circulation2@ecri.org; by fax at (610) 834-0240; or by mail at 5200 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Penn. 19462-1298. 
  
Source: ECRI Institute