ECRI's live-streamed "COVID-19 and Medical Devices" lab webcast series features guidance from ECRI experts and others on device-related issues that are arising as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Join these webcasts from our lab live—with an opportunity to ask questions of our experts—or view recordings of previous webcasts. To explore other webcast recordings, visit our COVID-19 and Medical Devices lab webcast series page.  
 

Overview

When critical supplies are unavailable, risks to patient and staff safety increase—in fact, supply chain challenges were the #2 hazard on ECRI's Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list for 2022. In our February 24, 2022, live-streamed lab webcast, presenters explored how ECRI can help facilities collaborate and share new strategies to manage supply chain vulnerabilities in order to maintain patient care.

Topics:

• The impact of supply disruption and how the pandemic has led to new strategies to address supply chain vulnerabilities
• How ECRI monitors the supply chain
• Testing supplies for performance
• How to find alternative products when facing supply disruptions

Speakers:

• Andrew Furman, MD, MMM, FACEP, Executive Director, Clinical Excellence, Technology Assessment, ECRI
• Jason Launders, Director of Operations, Device Evaluation, ECRI
• Rob Schluth, Principal Project Officer 1—Product Development, Device Evaluation, ECRI
• Tim Browne, Executive Director, Supply Guide, ECRI
• Jillian Hillman, Manager, Functional Equivalents Technical Development, ECRI
• Karen Haberland, Project Officer, Device Evaluation, ECRI
  

Webcast Recording

Supplementary Materials

Presentation Slides

Navigating Supply Disruption (Tim Browne)

Poll Results

Recommendations

ECRI Resources 

Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2022: Executive Brief

Download an abridged version of our 2022 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report, which highlights all 10 topics in a compact, easy-to-review format.

COVID-19 Resource Center

Selected resources spanning ECRI's entire range of products and services.

​Lessons of COVID-19: Three Actions for a More Resilient Supply Chain

A white paper that applies the learnings from supply chain shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines actions to help strengthen and improve resilience across the healthcare supply chain.

Alternate Supplier List: PPE

Comprehensive directory of go-to sources to supplement the usual suppliers.

Nontraditional PPE Suppliers

ECRI is collaborating with the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) to provide lists of nontraditional suppliers offering PPE supplies.

• Domestic suppliers
• International suppliers

Functional Equivalents: PPE

Find the best matches for the three most popular brands of exam gloves, face shields, isolation gowns, air-purifying respirators (e.g., N95, PAPRs), safety eyewear, shoe covers, and surgical masks based on key performance indicators (KPIs) and functional equivalence.

In this episode of ECRI's Smart Healthcare Safety podcast, ECRI experts talk about wound care biologics—products used to treat various acute and chronic wounds—and some of the challenges that providers face in terms of purchasing and inventory management.

Vendor Check: Collection Containers Aspirator/Suction Unit

This complimentary report provides collection containers aspirator/suction unit vendors and indicates whether the vendor has product available to assist in navigating product shortages.

Vendor Check: Aluminum Underarm Crutches

To assist in navigating product shortages, this complimentary report from ECRI provides a listing of aluminum underarm crutches vendors and indicates whether the vendor has product available.