#United States #Santa Barbara #Health Technology #ECRI #Cottage Health

Cottage Health Wins Prestigious Healthcare Award

Cottage Health, a healthcare provider in California, has been honored with the 2026 Health Technology Excellence Award by ECRI, a renowned nonprofit organization focused on enhancing safety and quality in healthcare. This annual accolade is reserved for an ECRI member facility that showcases an outstanding initiative aimed at improving patient safety, decreasing costs, or effectively managing health technology.

The recognition primarily stems from Cottage Health's innovative interfacility blood transfer program designed to minimize the waste of blood products, particularly red blood cell (RBC) units that often expire before use. With a systematic process in place, the organization has successfully implemented a strategy to safely redistribute RBC units from facilities with lower utilization rates to its trauma center, a high-utilization Level I facility. This operation effectively ensures that blood is transfused before it reaches its expiration date, drastically reducing wastage rates.

Post-implementation analysis indicates that this program is anticipated to save over $100,000 annually. While quantifying the financial aspect is crucial, the impact on patient care and community welfare is invaluable. By ensuring the availability of these vital resources, Cottage Health honors the commitment made to volunteer donors who expect their contributions to positively affect patients in need.

Lisa Moore, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cottage Health, expressed gratitude for the recognition: "We are honored to receive this recognition from ECRI. By reducing blood waste, this program helps ensure a lifesaving resource is available for patients when needed, while honoring the generosity of every blood donor.”

Enhancing Reliability and Safety

Cottage Health has incorporated advanced mechanisms to identify RBC units nearing expiration and initiate timely transfers to their trauma center to ensure needs are met efficiently. This involved establishing a robust infrastructure that employs specialized technologies, including validated temperature-controlled coolers aimed at maintaining the viability of blood products during transit. The program also emphasizes coordinated workflows and documentation processes to ensure complete traceability and quality assurance.

As the program evolves, the transfusion rates of transferred RBC units, which started at 85.2% in the first year, have increased to more than 98% in subsequent years, showcasing the success of continuous improvement in the system.

Scott Lucas, Vice President of Devices, Therapeutics, and Technology at ECRI, commended Cottage Health's efforts, stating, "Cottage Health has demonstrated what is possible when organizations treat health technology management and resource stewardship as system-based challenges. The team created a reliable, sustainable model that enhances patient care, reduces waste, and strengthens the connection with the community, showing how systems-focused technology management can create lasting value."

Acknowledgment of Sustainability Efforts

Clínica Imbanaco, in Cali, Colombia, was the runner-up for the 2026 Health Technology Excellence Award, for its commendable efforts in addressing the environmental impact and safety risks related to inhaled anesthetic agents. Their initiative led to the elimination of nitrous oxide and desflurane usage, achieving significant reductions in both anesthetic agent use and carbon footprint while maintaining high patient safety standards. This recognition marks the third time Clínica Imbanaco has been honored by ECRI, including being named the winner in 2024.

About Cottage Health

Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to providing high-quality medical care on California's Central Coast. The health system encompasses hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez Valley, catering to a significant number of inpatient admissions, emergency visits, and newborn deliveries annually. With an extensive network of specialists and a commitment to education, Cottage Health offers a range of services, proudly hosting the Central Coast's only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma centers, along with various specialty clinics.

About ECRI

ECRI is an independent, nonprofit institution dedicated to enhancing patient safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness in healthcare. Recognized globally, ECRI conducts independent evaluations of medical devices and has earned a reputation for integrity and rigorous analysis over its six-decade history. The organization, being a designated Evidence-based Practice Center, continues to lead initiatives aimed at optimizing safety and healthcare practices internationally. For more information, please visit ECRI's official website.