Reducing Errors through Smarter Purchasing

To improve medical device safety, it’s important for hospital executives to involve appropriate staff in any purchasing decisions and allow them to test the usability of medical devices, according to a recent article in Healthcare Executive.

Usability is an important factor when determining which medical devices to purchase; however, it’s a factor that many hospital executives don’t consider. The article advises leadership to establish a process that allows staff to test and become familiar with the equipment, focusing on visual considerations (e.g., display/font size, labeling), auditory considerations (e.g., alarm volumes), and tactile considerations (e.g., how the controls feel and function). Doing this will help identify potential problems with the devices...