Sterile processing errors in medical/dental offices were listed as the third of 10 top healthcare technology hazards for 2020 in an October 7 release by the ECRI Institute.
The failure to consistently and effectively sterilize contaminated items could lead to patient infections, according to the organization.
Other items on the top 10 list include surgical stapler misuse, unproven surgical robotic procedures, and an overload of alarms, alerts, and notifications that overwhelm clinicians.
The ECRI Institute is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect patients from unsafe and ineffective medical technologies and practices. It is based in Plymouth Meeting, PA.
