Healthcare at home has become an increasingly popular alternative to hospital-based treatment, offering patients the comfort and convenience of receiving care in familiar surroundings. One of the most significant concerns associated with home healthcare is the potential for preventable harm due to improper use or malfunction of medical devices.
ECRI has expanded the discussion of this issue to explore in greater detail the risks associated with home use of complex medical devices, at-home patients or their caregivers are often responsible for operating and maintaining these devices without the necessary training or expertise. there is a significant risk of errors that can lead to severe patient harm.
The following are common factors that increase the risk of harm when medical devices are used at home, such as Lack of device oversight, Malfunction or misuse of devices, Connectivity issues etc.
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