PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA - Fires in an operating room-or any other location in hospitals-loom as a constant threat to patients, personnel, property, and a facility's reputation as provider of quality healthcare. Physicians, nurses, safety/security professionals, facility managers, and risk manager/patient safety officers have an important role to play in mitigating the risk of fire in a hospital. Preparation for fires includes the development and implementation of policies and procedures and the education of staff, which promotes the effective and timely response in the event of a fire as well as timely facility recovery plan.

To help hospitals identify and prevent fire risks, ECRI Institute and the International Association for Healthcare Safety and Security (IAHSS) will present "Hospital Fires: A Practical Approach to Facility-wide Prevention" on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 1-2:30 p.m. EDT. This Web conference will help hospitals better understand: the circumstances that increase the risk of fires; what measures constitute an effective response in the event of a hospital fire; and, how to effectively develop and communicate fire policies and procedures to hospital staff.

Fire safety experts will educate participants about:

-The types of fires that occur in hospitals and factors that contribute to these fires.
-Risk reduction strategies to reduce the probability of fire in areas such as operating rooms and patient care units.
-Types of response measures that are appropriate for the specific types of fires and practical ways to educate, train, and test the knowledge of staff to promote quality facility fire prevention.

Speakers include:

-Luke A. Petosa, M.Sc., HEM, HEM-CC, Director, Center for Education and Training, ECRI Institute
-Albert L. de Richemond, M.S., PE, Associate Director, Accident and Forensic Investigation Group, ECRI Institute
-George A. Hettenbach, M.S., Hospital Safety Manager, University of Pennsylvania, Medical Center

To learn more or to register for this Web conference, visit www.ecri.org/webconference, or contact ECRI Institute by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5889; by e-mail at circulation2(at)ecri.org; by fax at (610) 834-0240; or by mail at 5200 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462-1298, USA.

ECRI Institute, a nonprofit organization, dedicates itself to bringing the discipline of applied scientific research to healthcare to uncover the best approaches to improving patient care. As pioneers in this science for 40 years, ECRI Institute marries experience and independence with the objectivity of evidence-based research. ECRI Institute is designated a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization and an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. For more information, please visit www.ecri.org.

The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) is the only organization solely dedicated to professionals involved in managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare institutions. Its 1,600 members have joined together to develop educational and credentialing programs and create a body of knowledge that meets the needs of today's fast paced and ever changing environment. For more information, please visit www.iahss.org.

Read DOTmed News coverage of surgical fire issues at:
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/6998/

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