Leveraging ECRI’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards Report: A Strategic Imperative for Healthcare in 2026

In today’s healthcare landscape, technology can be both a powerful enabler and a potential source of risk. As new innovations—from artificial intelligence (AI) to the expanding use of medical devices in the home—rapidly integrate into clinical practice, healthcare leaders face an increasingly complex task: ensuring that these technologies are used safely, effectively, and equitably.

ECRI’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report, launching later this month, serves as a trusted, evidence-based guide to help healthcare organizations identify, prioritize, and mitigate the most pressing technology-related risks of the year ahead. For nearly two decades, this annual report has shaped risk-management strategies worldwide, informing policies, training, and investment decisions across hospitals, health systems, and ambulatory settings.

Why the Top 10 Hazards Report Matters

ECRI’s Top 10 list is more than a ranking—it’s a roadmap. Each year, ECRI’s multidisciplinary team of engineers, clinicians, and safety analysts reviews thousands of incident reports, device evaluations, and member inquiries to identify emerging trends before they become widespread threats.

The goal isn’t to list the most frequent problems. Instead, the report highlights which hazards most urgently demand attention now, based on their potential impact, likelihood of occurrence, and the ability of healthcare organizations to meaningfully mitigate them.

Past reports have spotlighted issues such as infusion-pump errors, alarm management, telehealth workflow gaps, and risks in sterile-processing practices. The 2025 list placed AI-enabled healthcare technology risks at the top, underscoring both the promise and peril of machine learning tools that influence patient care.

The upcoming 2026 edition will continue this forward-looking tradition—helping organizations proactively address new challenges in technology selection, implementation, and management across all care settings.

Turning Insight into Action

ECRI’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report isn’t just a reading exercise; it’s a practical tool for leadership teams and safety committees. Here’s how healthcare organizations can use it to drive measurable improvement.

1. Strategic Prioritization and Alignment

Each hazard on the list can serve as an anchor for strategic planning. By mapping the Top 10 items against their own internal risk registers, organizations can determine where they’re most vulnerable and where new policies or investments may be warranted.

For example:

• Does the organization have oversight for how AI applications may be used to influence patient care?
  
• Are the organization’s networks and computing systems sufficiently protected against attack?
• Is the supply chain resilient against counterfeit or recalled devices?
• Are available safety technologies being used—and being used appropriately?

The report helps ensure that leadership discussions about capital planning, cybersecurity, or workforce training are grounded in independent, expert analysis.

2. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Because ECRI’s hazard reports span clinical engineering, IT, nursing, supply chain, and infection control, the report fosters productive dialogue among departments that might otherwise operate in silos. Reviewing the list as a group—perhaps in safety committee or technology-management meetings—encourages shared ownership of patient-safety outcomes.

For instance, a hazard related to connected-device interoperability can unite IT security, biomedical engineering, and nursing teams in developing joint protocols for device onboarding and monitoring. The conversation itself strengthens organizational resilience.

3. Actionable Implementation

Each hazard report includes detailed recommendations—clear, actionable steps that healthcare teams can take to reduce risk. ECRI members also gain access to detailed mitigation guidance, checklists, and case studies to operationalize these recommendations.

By translating the insights into policy, procedure, or purchasing decisions, healthcare organizations can move from awareness to prevention. Many integrate the Top 10 hazard reports into their annual safety goals, Joint Commission readiness reviews, or continuing-education programs.

4. Support for Regulatory and Accreditation Readiness

ECRI’s independent, evidence-based insights align closely with regulators’ growing emphasis on proactive risk management. Incorporating the Top 10 hazard reports into board presentations, quality dashboards, or audit documentation demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and compliance.

This proactive stance not only satisfies external expectations—it positions the organization as a leader in technology governance and patient-safety culture.

5. Vendor and Supply-Chain Engagement

The hazard reports often touch on design issues, software vulnerabilities, or usability flaws that extend beyond the provider’s walls. The report can be used as a discussion framework with vendors and manufacturers. Healthcare organizations can ask suppliers how they’re addressing the highlighted hazards—whether through product redesigns, human-factors testing, or enhanced training materials.

This dialogue encourages greater transparency and accountability across the technology ecosystem, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Building a Culture of Technology Safety

ECRI’s mission—to advance safe, effective, and efficient care across all settings—relies on empowering healthcare leaders with actionable intelligence. The Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report exemplifies that mission by promoting a systems approach to safety: understanding how people, technology, and processes interact in real-world conditions.

By engaging with this report, organizations cultivate a culture that values prevention over reaction. It reframes technology safety not as a technical issue alone, but as an organizational imperative that spans governance, training, clinical practice, and design.

As care delivery continues to evolve—blending in-person, virtual, and home-based models—this mindset becomes even more essential. Technology is no longer confined to clinical walls. The ability to identify and address hazards early can mean the difference between innovation and inadvertent harm.

Preparing for the 2026 Report Launch

The 2026 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report launches later this month, offering a fresh perspective on the emerging risks that will shape healthcare in the year ahead. Leaders can prepare now by:

• Reviewing the 2025 list to benchmark progress on previously identified risks.
• Conducting a gap analysis across departments to assess readiness for new technologies such as AI, robotics, and remote-monitoring platforms.
• Establishing a recurring review process to integrate ECRI’s insights into enterprise risk management, safety rounds, and procurement strategies.
• Using ECRI’s resources—alerts, evaluations, and consulting services—to contextualize the hazards in their own environment.

These steps ensure that when the 2026 report debuts, your organization can act swiftly—turning insight into preventive action.

A Call to Action

Technology will always introduce new complexities. But with reliable, research-based guidance, healthcare organizations can turn complexity into confidence.

The Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report is not just a publication; it’s an opportunity to strengthen your culture of safety, anticipate risk, and enhance care delivery for every patient you serve.

Sign up to be among the first to explore ECRI’s 2026 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report—your roadmap for safer, smarter technology use in the year ahead.