Evaluating Products
and Technologies:
Advice from the Experts in
Value Analysis
By Kelly M. Pyrek
I
nfection preventionists (IPs) and other stakeholders in
patient safety, quality improvement and risk management
have a keen interest in the types of products and technologies
that are brought into the healthcare institution. Their input as
to how these commodities will contribute to upholding good
patient outcomes is an essential part of product evaluation
and purchasing (PE&P), but not every facility leverages their
valuable perspectives.
One organization that takes into consideration the
presence of IPs within PE&P committees is ECRI Institute,
which consults to healthcare systems.
“It is really a mixed bag based on how the facility
or system is organized,” says James Davis, MSN,
RN, CCRN-K, HEM, CIC, FAPIC, senior infection
prevention and patient safety analyst/consultant
with ECRI Institute. “Because of this, one must
James Davis
factor in the facility or system’s awareness of how
infection prevention impacts purchasing decisions.
When IPs aren’t at the table, it is usually because the facility
does not understand the need for individuals with expertise
in infection prevention during those decisions. Those IPs who
are at the table either work in facilities who understand the
impact of purchasing decisions on infection prevention or
those IPs have basically fought to be included because of
lessons learned after seeing risk and harm from decisions
made without them.”
Feedback from clinicians and IPs is critical, as frontline
personnel see how products and technologies perform in
the real-world setting.
“IPs look at products from several directions, including
usability, ease of cleaning and disinfection, and the potential
for the equipment or device to harbor organisms, such as
issues with heater-cooler units. We look at things like IPX
ratings; for instance, can we submerge the device, or do we
need to wipe it? What does the manufacturers’ instruction
for use (IFU) say? Does the IFU recommend the chemicals
needed to clean and disinfect that will not degrade the
equipment surface? Will the addition of this equipment
cause the purchase of other support equipment like different
www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com • february 2020
chemicals for C/D and other things like barrier shields and
covers? These are just a few examples.”
Clinicians and IPs bring a unique perspective that should
be considered when evaluating products and technologies.
“IPs will be looking to see where the device fits into the
chain of infection: pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, means
of transmission, portal of entry, and the new host,” Davis
emphasizes. He adds that the IP will also be assessing the
device reprocessing lifecycle:
• Point of use handling
• Containment and transportation
• Cleaning (manual and automated methods)
• Disinfection (manual and automated methods)
• Drying
• Maintenance (standard and preventive)
• Inspection and testing
• Sterilization (if applicable)
Adding to the chorus of influencer voices in the hospital
environment is the healthcare value analysis professional.
“The role of the value analysis (VA)
professional is intertwined throughout the
entire process for evaluating and purchasing
products and technology within healthcare
organizations,” explains Gloria Graham,
DNP, RN, CVAHP, past-president of the
Gloria Graham
Association of Healthcare Value Analysis
Professionals (AHVAP) and chair of AHVAP’s Industry
Business Education Collaborative (IBEC) Committee. “The VA
process is a systematic approach for clinicians to use when
new products, equipment or services are needed for patient
care. VA professionals are the bridge between clinical staff
and supply chain to facilitate the process, so decisions are
made from both a clinical and financial perspective. The
process is built on evaluating the utilization, clinical efficacy,
quality and safety issues to ensure optimal patient outcomes
are achieved.”
VA professionals use a consistent process
for assessing products and technology new
to their organization or new to market, adds
Barbara Strain, MA, CVAHP, SM(ASCP), a
founding member and past-president of
Barbara Strain
AHVAP. “Determination if the product/
technology meets organizational goals or
problems it needs to solve is done using: 1) clinical based
evidence of the highest quality available; 2) data -purchase
history, market share, outcomes, safety, regulatory, reimburse-
ment etc.; 3) analysis, including but not limited to, hands-on
evaluation and approval; 4) implementation in collaboration
with supply chain; and 5) post-implementation monitoring
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