Lessons learned from the Hospital Experience Reporting System

The Hospital Experience Reporting System was a pilot study initiated at Robert Packer Hospital in 1980 and continued for 22 months to examine abnormal or unusual failures of medical devices and to evaluate an inhospital reporting system. Hospital employees were encouraged to report device failures or problems, and the hospital purchasing department pursued recompensation or replacement from the manufacturer. Device deficiencies were found to be fairly common, but until HERS was implemented, only a negligible number were reported to either the hospital or to the U.S. Pharmacopoeial Convention. Cost savings brought about by this voluntary, inhospital reporting system were substantial. The study established that such a system results in safer device use.