Rating Scale
ECRI's Device Evaluation program uses a five-star rating scale to convey our opinion of the products we review. Our ratings apply to the specific application or applications described in our studies.
- Five stars. Excellent choice for most facilities; has many advantages.
- Four stars. Very good choice for most facilities; has some advantages.
- Three stars. Good choice for most facilities; meets basic needs.
- Two stars. Fair choice; has notable disadvantages; most facilities are likely to find other products more suitable.
- One star. Poor choice; has significant disadvantages; most facilities will find this product unsatisfactory.
In certain cases, we may apply a conditional rating, signified by the words "WITH CONDITIONS" accompanying the star-rating symbol. This means that the rating applies only as long as one or more specified conditions are met.
In rare cases, we may rate a product Unacceptable. Such a product poses significant safety risks and should not be purchased.
Test Categories
Our star ratings are derived from our judgment of the product in some or all of the following test categories:
- Performance
- Safety
- Workflow
- Patient Experience
- Interoperability
- Cybersecurity
- Maintenance
- User Experience
- Cost
Based on the advantages and disadvantages identified during our testing, the product is judged to be Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor in these categories.
Development of Ratings
We assign ratings based on (1) the criteria we establish and (2) the performance of other similar products on the market. Our criteria and ratings can change as a technology evolves. For example, when a new safety feature initially becomes available, we may consider the first few products to adopt that feature as having a strong advantage over their competitors and may rate them more highly. But if the feature becomes more widely available, those products may no longer stand out from their competitors, and we may adjust our ratings accordingly.
Peer Review
All our studies are intensively reviewed by engineering and clinical professionals, both within and outside the organization, before publication.
Impartiality
ECRI respects and is impartial toward all ethical medical device companies and practices. We have strict conflict-of-interest rules that govern our work. In addition, neither ECRI nor any of its staff members has a direct or indirect financial interest in promoting the sale of any medical device. Our employees do not undertake private consulting work for the medical device industry or own stock in medical device companies. We accept no royalties, gifts, finder's fees, or commissions from the medical device industry, nor do we accept advertising.
No-Commercialization Policy
As an impartial evaluator of biomedical technology, ECRI does not endorse any specific brand or model of device. ECRI prohibits manufacturers from using or referring to our product ratings or reports, in whole or in part, in advertising or promotional materials. Reproducing excerpts from our product Evaluations in promotional materials implies endorsement, contravenes ECRI policy, and may violate copyright law.
