AI Risks Lead ECRI’s 2025 Health Technology Hazards Report
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare are at the top of ECRI’s list of health technology hazards for 2025. ECRI, a non-profit organization specializing in healthcare safety, released its annual report detailing the most significant technology risks facing the industry. The report highlights the potential benefits of AI while also cautioning about the risks associated with its increasing use.
ECRI’s assessment covers a range of issues including the home use of medical devices, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and counterfeit medical products. The organization emphasizes that while AI promises to boost efficiency and improve patient outcomes, it also introduces substantial risks that must be carefully managed.
“The promise of artificial intelligence’s capabilities must not distract us from its risks or its ability to harm patients and providers,” stated Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and CEO of ECRI. “Balancing innovation in AI with privacy and safety will be one of the most difficult, and most defining, endeavors of modern medicine.”
AI’s expanding role extends far beyond medical imaging, now impacting areas like diagnosis, documentation, and appointment scheduling. ECRI experts note that even AI systems that are not regulated as medical devices can have a significant impact on patient care. The concern centers on the potential for AI systems to produce inaccurate results, known as “hallucinations.” The quality of AI’s output can also fluctuate across different patient populations as these models can reinforce biases inherent in their programming, thereby posing specific threats to marginalized communities.
“AI is only as good as the data it is given and the guardrails that govern its use,” Schabacker added. “Healthcare stakeholders at all levels must think critically about the integration of AI, as they would with any new technology.”
The report also details other critical technology hazards:
- Unmet technology support needs for home care patients
- Vulnerable technology vendors and cybersecurity threats
- Substandard or fraudulent medical devices and supplies
- Fire risk from supplemental oxygen
- Dangerously low default alarm limits on anesthesia units
- Mishandled temporary holds on medication orders
- Poorly managed infusion lines
- Harmful medical adhesive products
- Incomplete investigations of infusion system incidents
ECRI provides detailed steps members can take to reduce risk and boost patient safety within its full report. An executive brief is available for free download.
ECRI plans a live public webcast on December 5th at noon ET to discuss the top 10 hazards. The panel will include medical device and healthcare safety experts, who will examine the hazards’ implications for patient safety, clinician efficiency, operational effectiveness, and strategies for mitigating the risks.
This year marks the 18th annual report by ECRI on critical health technology issues. Hospitals, healthcare centers, and manufacturers have utilized this report to mitigate risks since its inception in 2008.
About ECRI
ECRI is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of healthcare across all settings, with a primary focus on technology evaluation and safety. Trusted by healthcare leaders and agencies globally, ECRI holds the designation of an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO are federally certified Patient Safety Organizations as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2020, ECRI acquired ISMP, building one of the largest healthcare quality and safety institutions in the world.
Visit www.ecri.org for more information.
