Prioritizing Patient Safety: Analysis of the Procurement Process

Abstract

Background patient safety is a global priority and the European public procurement process is an essential vehicle for assessing the patient safety implications of new equipment, technology, and other products. One important factor contributing to patient safety issues is poor usability which is an important human factors concept measured by efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction. We sought to understand whether patient safety and human factors are considerations in healthcare technology procurement analyzing the case of infusion pumps as they use condition critically patient safety. Methods we reviewed infusion pump procurements in the Spanish Public Sector Procurement Database (PLACE). Sixty-three batches in 29 tenders for supplying 12.224 volumetric and syringe infusion pumps and consumables for an overall budget of 30.4M€ were identified. Requirements and scoring criteria for the selection of pumps were analyzed. Results concepts related to “ease of use” were identified in the selection requirements of 35 (55.6%) batches and in the criteria for the selection of pumps in 23 (36.5%) batches, and related to “intuitiveness” in the selection requirements of 35 (55.6%) batches and in the criteria in 10 (15.9%) batches. No method to evaluate the ease of use, intuitiveness, or usability was mentioned. A review of the procurement teams responsible for the evaluation of the tenders showed no reported human factors or patient safety expertise. Conclusions infusion pump procurement considers usability as a relevant criterion for selection. However, no human factor experts nor specific methods for evaluation of the technology in this field are usually defined. A potential room for refining the selection of healthcare technology in order to improve patient safety is detected.