PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA - ECRI Institute®, an independent, nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, is now accepting submissions to its fourth annual Health Devices Achievement Award program. The award honors healthcare facilities for achieving excellence in health technology management. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2009, and entries are accepted online at https://www.ecri.org/hdaward.

ECRI Institute will recognize top finalists on the ECRI Institute Web site before the announcement of the top honoree. Visit the ECRI Institute 2009 Health Devices Achievement Award Web site after the judging period to read about the finalists' exceptional initiatives.

"Our member hospitals consistently undertake important initiatives to improve patient safety, improve healthcare quality, and reduce costs. Our goal is to not only honor their outstanding work, but to broadly share their best practices and lessons learned," says James P. Keller, Jr., vice president, health technology evaluation and safety, ECRI Institute.
The overall winner of ECRI Institute's 2009 Health Devices Achievement Award will receive a plaque honoring its accomplishment and will be featured in ECRI Institute's Health Devices Journal. Finalists and the overall winner may also be highlighted in other Health Devices System promotions.

Last year's winner, Children's Hospital of Omaha (NE), demonstrated a new process to reduce x-ray exposures and decrease errors in its pediatric intensive care unit. "The [Health Device Achievement Award] acknowledgment helps to underscore our continuous effort to improve patient care through our quality and safety initiatives. I am delighted that this project has improved internal processes and, most importantly, the level of care we provide to our patients," said Mel Hall, performance improvement and patient safety manager, Children's Hospital of Omaha, NE.

Submission Requirements

Individual or team applicants must be current members of ECRI Institute's® Health Devices System™, Health Devices Online™, HDgold™, or SELECTplus™. Initiatives may relate to any health technology management endeavor, including patient safety, technology selection and service, hazard and recall management, staff training, or accreditation.

Applicants should submit a 1,000- to 2,000-word essay to ECRI Institute describing an initiative(s) undertaken at their facility that demonstrates excellence in the field of health technology management. Please include:

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