PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA - ECRI Institute identified alarm hazards as the number one device-related risk on its 2008 list of top 10 health technology hazards. The severity and frequency of alarm-related incidents pushed them to the top of ECRI Institute's list. When things go well, clinical alarms are critical in preventing patient injury or death. However, caregivers don't always get or respond to an alarm's "message."

ECRI Institute's Alarm Safety: Strategies for Managing Today's Top Health Technology Hazard Web conference on February 18, 2009, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EST, will provide a better understanding of this number one hazard, why addressing alarms is an important safety goal, and what you can do about it. Expert speakers from ECRI Institute and U.S. healthcare institutions will discuss the important factors that go into implementing an effective alarm response strategy. Presenters will also cover:

* Key factors that impact the ability to react and respond to alarm-related incidents

* Technology solutions improve alarm response time
* Educational initiatives that can be implemented to train staff on how to effectively handle and respond to alarms
* Policy and procedure changes that can help and improve alarm safety

Speakers include:

* James P. Keller, Jr., M.S., Moderator, Vice President, Health Technology Evaluation and Safety, ECRI Institute
* Kathy Pelczarski, Director, Applied Solution Group, ECRI Institute
* Mary Ann Jacobs, RN, BSN, Patient Care Manager, Bryn Mawr Hospital
* Another speaker to be announced

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@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.