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Device Comparison Guide (Capital) - FAQs

Published Date: November 31, 2024
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What is the Device Comparison Guide?
ECRI's Device Comparison Guide is an international online database for capital medical equipment and clinical laboratory instrumentation. The system includes hundreds of individual Device
Comparisons that are regularly updated with technical specifications and purchasing information: new features, applications, and techniques; up-to-date listings of suppliers and their
products. Each Device Comparison provides a technology overview followed by a side-by-side comparison chart listing the specifications of currently available models worldwide.

Note: Device Comparison Guide makes no evaluations or judgments about the relative merits of brands or models included. Device Comparison Guide is toolkit and not a consultation
service.

User Guide
Click here to view the Device Comparison Guide User Guide. This resource is used to help you find, navigate, and use Device Comparison Guide.

Device Comparison Guide Hotline

Need help finding a device, manufacturer, or model? Click here to contact the Device Comparison Guide hotline. Staffed by our team of technical specialists, the hotline is monitored Monday
through Friday.

Not sure which report you need? Contact us and we'll be glad to help.

Heard of a new model but don't see it? Let us know so we can contact the manufacturer and get the information into our report. We can also let you know if the model you're looking for is in
process and hasn't been posted yet!

What’s in the technology overview?

The text provides an overview of the device: what it does, the latest technological advances, any reported problems, and any ancillary purchasing requirements. It consists of a number of
sections:

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Scope of this Device Comparison. Types of devices included in and excluded from the Device Comparison. Where appropriate, we refer you to related devices covered in other reports.

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UMDNS information. UMDNS device term and product code for each device category covered in the Device Comparison.

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Purpose. Clinical applications of the device.

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Principles of operation. Design and function of the device. This discussion can be substantial and serves as a valuable supplement to the chart data.

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Reported problems. Drawbacks and possible hazards—usually those common to most or all models of a device—taken from ECRI's investigations and its comprehensive medical device
databases. Such problems can range from inconvenient failures to life-threatening risks.

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Purchase considerations. Key specifications that should be taken into account when comparing different device models, and any special financial or practical requirements (e.g., unusual
installation needs or operational considerations) that should be kept in mind when making a purchase. Also included is a section that discusses cost-containment issues.

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Stage of development. The latest available improvements and those foreseen in the near future —particularly valuable for rapidly evolving technologies.

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Bibliography. Texts and articles used in preparing the Device Comparison.

What’s in the chart?

The chart is where the actual comparison takes place. It lists the critical specifications for each model side by side for easy reference. You can compare capacities, standard and optional
features, purchase information, and warranties—all in a single document. This saves valuable time that might otherwise be spent collating data from product literature.

The data in the charts derive from suppliers’ specifications and have not been verified through independent testing by ECRI or any other agency. Because test methods vary, different products’
specifications are not always comparable. Moreover, products and specifications are subject to frequent changes. ECRI is not responsible for the quality or validity of the information
presented or for any adverse consequences of acting on such information.

Chart information is derived from suppliers' specifications and is sent to the suppliers for confirmation before publication. However, while they are reviewed by qualified healthcare
professionals, these data are not the result of testing by our clinical and engineering personnel—unlike the Evaluations published in Device Evaluations—and should be used with that fact in
mind. Some suppliers can't or won't supply certain specifications for their products. This may result from frequent design changes, from the fact that the manufacturer has not determined a
particular characteristic, or from an unwillingness to provide the information. The absence of such data--usually designated by the term "not specified"--does not necessarily imply any

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deficiency in the device; it simply means that the information is unavailable.

Keep in mind that directly comparing certain types of data can be misleading. For one thing, manufacturers do not use uniform testing methods, measuring techniques, or criteria. One
company, for instance, might list the weight of a device with the battery included, while another might list it without. Computer software listings can be particularly fraught with inconsistencies
and subject to frequent change. In addition, companies naturally provide data that are favorable to their own products. While Device Comparison Guide makes every reasonable effort to
standardize its listings and inform you of subtle differences, the data we provide can't be considered a substitute for independent and objective tests applying the same criteria consistently to
all similar products.

When reading the charts, keep in mind that, unless otherwise noted, the list price does not reflect supplier discounts. And although we try to indicate which features and characteristics are
standard and which are not, some may be optional, at additional cost.

For those models whose prices were supplied to us in currencies other than U.S. dollars, we have also listed the conversion to U.S. dollars to facilitate comparison among models. Keep in
mind that exchange rates change often.

Incidentally, many terms used in Device Comparison Guide reports and charts, especially those that refer to models or features of particular devices, are proprietary names. For practical
reasons, we have not attempted to designate these terms with the symbol ™ or ®, although we do capitalize them where appropriate. The appearance of any name without a proprietary
designation in no way suggests that it is not the subject of proprietary rights.

Where does the information come from?

The information in Device Comparisons comes from a number of sources: correspondence and discussion with manufacturers and distributors, medical and biomedical engineering literature,
and specifications from product literature. While these data are reviewed, they have not been tested by ECRI's clinical and engineering personnel and are largely unconfirmed. Constantly
updated, the database reflects changes in the medical device marketplace as soon as we receive the information. The Device Comparison Guide and ECRI are not responsible for the quality or
validity of information derived from outside sources or for any adverse consequences of acting on such information.

The appearance or listing of any item, or the use of a photograph thereof, in the Device Comparison Guide does not constitute the endorsement or approval of the product’s quality,
performance, or value, or of claims made for it by the manufacturer. The information and photographs published in Device Comparisons appear at no charge to manufacturers. ECRI and
the Device Comparison Guide accept no advertising and have no obligations to any commercial interests. ECRI and its employees accept no royalties, gifts, finder’s fees, or commissions from
the medical device industry, nor do they own stock in medical device companies. Employees engage in no private consulting work for the medical device industry.

Many of the words or model descriptions appearing in the Device Comparison Guide are proprietary names (e.g., trademarks), even though no reference to this fact may be made. The
appearance of any name without designation as proprietary should not be regarded as a representation that is not the subject of proprietary rights.

Why are the report titles phrased the way they are?
The title of each Device Comparison is based on ECRI's Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System™ (UMDNS™)—a standard international nomenclature and computer coding system for
medical devices. UMDNS is the worldwide nomenclature that has been officially adopted by many nations. It is used in ECRI’s databases and publications, as well as in thousands of
healthcare institutions worldwide and in ECRI’s databases and publications. This nomenclature, along with its unique five-digit International Medical Device Code number, forms the basis of
the device listings in ECRI’s Vendor Guide —a comprehensive planning and purchasing database for the identification of medical equipment, its manufacturers, and service companies.

How can I use these reports?

ECRI has certain restrictions on use of this information. The subscriber may not:

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Distribute, sublicense, lease, sell, transfer, or assign the application

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Decompile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse engineer, alter, translate, modify, or adapt the Device Comparison Guide or any part thereof or create derivative works

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Extract, download, or transfer data from the Device Comparison Guide other than for use by the subscriber

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Use the Device Comparison Guide, in whole or in part, in advertising or promotional material or for other commercial purposes.

Please report any instances of improper use directly to: Legal Department, ECRI.

What if I can't find what I'm looking for?

If your search is unsuccessful, it may be that the Device Comparison Guide does not cover the device for which you are looking. Remember that our reports cover devices, not procedures or
therapies, although such topics may be mentioned briefly in the context of explaining how a device is used.

Contact the Device Comparison Guide hotline for search help or to see if a report on the topic you are looking for is in progress.

How can I change my password?

To change or reset your password, go to My Account on the left-hand side menu. Choose the Security tab and use the boxes below to create a new password.

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What are ECRI Recommended Specifications?

ECRI Recommended Specifications represent the minimum requirements for the device to have acceptable performance levels. They are included in the Device Overviews in the Purchase
Considerations section and in the Device Specifications (comparison charts).

What are ECRI's Key Specifications?

ECRI Key Specifications highlight the most important attributes and specifications to consider when making a purchasing decision. They are highlighted and offer a reason statement as to
why it is an important consideration.

About UMDNS™
What are UMDNS™Device Codes?
Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System ™ (UMDNS™) is ECRI’s nomenclature and computer coding system for medical devices that is authored and maintained by ECRI. It is used in
ECRI’s databases and publications, as well as by thousands of healthcare institutions worldwide. The 5-digit code listed for each model in the Device Comparison chart refers to the
nomenclature term that applies to that model; in some cases, a single chart will include models for which multiple nomenclature device codes may apply (i.e., an automated device versus a
semiautomated device).

Manage Medical Devices Better.

The purpose of UMDNS is to facilitate identifying, processing, filing, storing, retrieving, transferring, and communicating data about medical devices. The nomenclature is used in applications
ranging from hospital inventory and work-order controls to national agency medical device regulatory systems and from e-commerce and procurement to medical device databases.

Where can I find what the UMDNS™device code means?

The UMDNS Information appears in the technology overview at the beginning of each report. This section describes all the UMDNS Code(s) covered in the chart.

Policy Statement
Device Comparison Guide is a proprietary database created by ECRI to present information on medical products. Specifications in Device Comparison Guide are provided mainly by the
companies listed and are included at no charge to them. While ECRI tries to verify all listings, it cannot assume responsibility for errors or omissions. Where product categories are identified
for companies, ECRI makes a reasonable attempt to list only those products that have clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the comparable regulatory body in other
countries. However, clearance for some products listed under companies may be pending, and many nations lack device regulatory controls.

All material in Device Comparison Guide is protected by copyright, and all rights are reserved. Subscribers may not copy, resell, or reproduce information from Device Comparison Guide by any
means or for any purpose, including library and interlibrary use, or transfer it to third parties without prior written permission from ECRI.

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