ECRI Institute
Encyclopedia
ECRI Institute is a nonprofit organization
located in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia, that uses applied scientific research in healthcare to help establish best practices to improving patient care. ECRI Institute is designated as a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization
. Under the WHO Terms of Reference, ECRI Institute serves as the WHO Archives on Medical Technology and as the WHO Archives of Healthcare Standards and Guidelines.
ECRI Institute has served as an Evidence-based Practice Center with the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ) since 1997. It is designated a federal patient safety organization
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005.
The organization serves over 5,000 healthcare organizations worldwide, including hospitals, health systems, public and private payers, U.S. federal and state government agencies, ministries of health, voluntary sector organizations, associations, and accrediting agencies. With these groups, ECRI Institute shares its experience in patient safety improvement, Comparative Effectiveness
, risk and quality management, evidence-based practice, healthcare processes, devices, procedures, and drug technology.
In the early 1960s, Joel Nobel, M.D., Founder and President Emeritus of ECRI Institute, invented the MAX Cart, a mobile resuscitation system designed to save lives by enabling rapid medical action. The cart carries instruments for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other medical supplies while also functioning as a support litter for a patient. A prototype of the MAX medical emergency crash cart has been accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Medicine and Science Division, as part of its historical collection of cardiology and emergency-medicine objects. Nobel, a surgeon and inventor, designed and patented MAX in 1965 while a resident at Pennsylvania Hospital
, in order to speed the delivery of life-saving emergency cardiopulmonary care to patients. Life magazine profiled the invention in a 1966 feature called "MAX, the Lifesaver."
ECRI Institute publishes hazard reports and alerts on medical devices, hospital adverse event and near miss reports, health technology journals, directories for medical device manufacturers/suppliers, healthcare-related standards, clinical evidence and emerging technology analyses and systematic reviews. It provides educational resources including a Comparative Effectiveness Resource. ECRI Institute also compares the acquisition cost and cost-effectiveness of health technology.
ECRI Institute has been undertaking brand and model comparative evaluations
of medical devices since 1971. Since its designation as an Evidence-based Practice Center by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 1997, it has undertaken systematic reviews of clinical procedures using metaanalysis for the Medicare
program, other federal and state agencies and clinical specialty organizations.
The organization is responsible for performing the technical work of developing and maintaining AHRQ's support for National Guideline Clearinghouse
(NGC), a database of clinical practice guidelines, and the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC), a database of evidence-based healthcare quality measures. Both medical informatics tools support users' efforts to integrate evidence-based practices into healthcare decisions.
ECRI Institute employs strict rules to prevent conflict of interest, by not accepting gifts, grants, or contracts from the medical device or pharmaceutical industries.
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
located in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia, that uses applied scientific research in healthcare to help establish best practices to improving patient care. ECRI Institute is designated as a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
. Under the WHO Terms of Reference, ECRI Institute serves as the WHO Archives on Medical Technology and as the WHO Archives of Healthcare Standards and Guidelines.
ECRI Institute has served as an Evidence-based Practice Center with the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which supports research designed to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its costs, address patient safety and medical errors, and broaden access to effective...
(AHRQ) since 1997. It is designated a federal patient safety organization
Patient safety organization
A patient safety organization is a group, institution or association that improves medical care by reducing medical errors. In the 1990s, reports in several countries revealed a staggering number of patient injuries and deaths each year due to avoidable adverse health care events...
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005.
The organization serves over 5,000 healthcare organizations worldwide, including hospitals, health systems, public and private payers, U.S. federal and state government agencies, ministries of health, voluntary sector organizations, associations, and accrediting agencies. With these groups, ECRI Institute shares its experience in patient safety improvement, Comparative Effectiveness
Comparative Effectiveness
Comparative effectiveness research is the direct comparison of existing health care interventions to determine which work best for which patients and which pose the greatest benefits and harms...
, risk and quality management, evidence-based practice, healthcare processes, devices, procedures, and drug technology.
In the early 1960s, Joel Nobel, M.D., Founder and President Emeritus of ECRI Institute, invented the MAX Cart, a mobile resuscitation system designed to save lives by enabling rapid medical action. The cart carries instruments for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other medical supplies while also functioning as a support litter for a patient. A prototype of the MAX medical emergency crash cart has been accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Medicine and Science Division, as part of its historical collection of cardiology and emergency-medicine objects. Nobel, a surgeon and inventor, designed and patented MAX in 1965 while a resident at Pennsylvania Hospital
Pennsylvania Hospital
Pennsylvania Hospital is a hospital in Center City, Philadelphia, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System . Founded on May 11, 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond, it was the first hospital in the United States...
, in order to speed the delivery of life-saving emergency cardiopulmonary care to patients. Life magazine profiled the invention in a 1966 feature called "MAX, the Lifesaver."
ECRI Institute publishes hazard reports and alerts on medical devices, hospital adverse event and near miss reports, health technology journals, directories for medical device manufacturers/suppliers, healthcare-related standards, clinical evidence and emerging technology analyses and systematic reviews. It provides educational resources including a Comparative Effectiveness Resource. ECRI Institute also compares the acquisition cost and cost-effectiveness of health technology.
ECRI Institute has been undertaking brand and model comparative evaluations
Comparative Effectiveness
Comparative effectiveness research is the direct comparison of existing health care interventions to determine which work best for which patients and which pose the greatest benefits and harms...
of medical devices since 1971. Since its designation as an Evidence-based Practice Center by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 1997, it has undertaken systematic reviews of clinical procedures using metaanalysis for the Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
program, other federal and state agencies and clinical specialty organizations.
The organization is responsible for performing the technical work of developing and maintaining AHRQ's support for National Guideline Clearinghouse
National Guideline Clearinghouse
National Guideline Clearinghouse is a database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents. It is maintained as a public resource by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...
(NGC), a database of clinical practice guidelines, and the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC), a database of evidence-based healthcare quality measures. Both medical informatics tools support users' efforts to integrate evidence-based practices into healthcare decisions.
ECRI Institute employs strict rules to prevent conflict of interest, by not accepting gifts, grants, or contracts from the medical device or pharmaceutical industries.