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Radiation overdose is top health tech hazard
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 20, 2010
Radiation overdoses and other dosing mistakes in radiation therapy count as the top threat to patients posed by health care technology, according to a recent report from ECRI Institute, a Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based nonprofit that evaluates the effectiveness of medical procedures, devices and drugs.
Human error, software-related problems and poor training have contributed to radiation dosing mistakes, said the report, published in November in the institute's Health Devices journal.
Other tech-related problems highlighted include "alarm overload," cross-contamination from flexible endoscopes, tubing and catheter misconnections, over-sedation when using infusion pumps and surgical fires.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/12/20/prbf1220.htm.