ECRI Institute and MedApproved Forge New Evidence-based Value Analysis Alliance

Collaboration will help member hospitals and health systems streamline their value analysis processes with evidence-based data

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ECRI Institute (www.ecri.org), a nonprofit that researches the best approaches to patient care, announces a new agreement with MedApproved, which specializes in value analysis workflow solutions.

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Through this agreement, ECRI Institute's unbiased, evidence-based clinical, cost, reimbursement, and safety data will be incorporated into product request workflows for surgical supplies and physician preference items, including implants, in MedApproved member hospitals.

"ECRI Institute's strategic alliance with MedApproved will help their members increase physician engagement and transparency, and alleviate the time constraints associated with product analysis, allowing them to focus on other initiatives," says Timothy Browne, director, ECRI Institute.

A web-based tool that helps value analysis committees enhance the structure of their workflow, MedApproved makes it easier for key stakeholders to collaborate on product decisions.

"Value-based purchasing is changing the way hospitals and health systems stock their shelves. By teaming up with ECRI Institute, MedApproved customers can now efficiently fill in the gaps on their product request forms with evidence-based information, which will help them engage stakeholders and validate their purchasing decisions," says Timothy Hopkins, president and CEO, MedApproved.

With a wide-ranging spectrum of available data on surgical supplies and physician preference items, including implants, ECRI Institute will make its published data fully accessible for members of MedApproved. They will also have the opportunity to request custom, product-specific research.

To learn more about this agreement or ECRI Institute's value analysis services, visit www.ecri.org/valueguide; or contact us by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5118; by e-mail at [email protected]; or by fax at (610) 834-1275.

About ECRI Institute
ECRI Institute, a nonprofit organization, dedicates itself to bringing the discipline of applied scientific research to healthcare to discover which medical procedures, devices, drugs, and processes are best to enable improved patient care. As pioneers in this science for 45 years, ECRI Institute marries experience and independence with the objectivity of evidence-based research. Strict conflict-of-interest guidelines ensure objectivity. ECRI Institute is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI Institute PSO is listed as a federally certified Patient Safety Organization by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Find ECRI Institute on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ECRIInstitute) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ECRI_Institute). For more information, visit www.ecri.org.

About MedApproved
MedApproved has developed a sophisticated web-based solution to support the various hospital product-evaluation committees, which helps standardize the workflow process across any size hospital or hospital system. MedApproved electronically streamlines the way new products are funneled, evaluated, documented, and summarized. This innovative software uses a paperless system that documents each evaluation, eliminates needless delays or duplicate efforts, and improves efficiencies throughout any complex organization. For more information about MedApproved, please visit www.medapproved.com.

SOURCE ECRI Institute