ECRI Institute has announced it will host a web conference to provide best practices for identifying and tracking endoscopes, a medical device that has made headlines after being linked with numerous hospital infection outbreaks.
The web conference — which will be held on Sept. 30 — will feature speakers from ECRI Institute as well as professionals from hospitals that have had success in tracking endoscopes.
Some methods hospitals use to track endoscopes that will be discussed in the conference include:
1. Etching or labeling the scopes with a unique control number that is stored in a centralized tracking system
2. Applying durable machine-readable labels, such as bar code or radio-frequency identification numbers, to the scopes
3. Purchasing endoscopes with integrated RFID chips and using automated endoscope reprocessors equipped with a chip reader
To learn more about the web conference, click here.
More articles on scopes and infection control:
Superbug infections tied to scopes may have affected VA medical centers
FDA releases new guidance for cleaning 'unsafe' scopes
Scope-related infection estimates inaccurate and outdated, researchers say