The nonprofit organization named the California health system the winner of its 2026 Health Technology Excellence Award for a program that redistributes blood products.
ECRI has named Cottage Health the winner of the 2026 Health Technology Excellence Award for an initiative that reduces blood product waste through a proactive interfacility transfer program.
Based in Santa Barbara, California, Cottage Health developed a systematic process to redistribute red blood cell units from lower-utilization facilities to its high-utilization Level I trauma-certified hospital. This redistribution occurs when units reach their expiration date before they can be transfused at the original site, ensuring the blood is used before it expires.
The financial benefits of the program exceed $100,000 annually. Beyond cost savings, the initiative ensures donated resources remain available for patients and honors the commitment to volunteer donors.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from ECRI,” says Lisa Moore, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Cottage Health, in a release. “By reducing blood waste, this program helps ensure a lifesaving resource is available for patients when they need it while honoring the generosity of every blood donor.”
To implement the program, the health system established mechanisms to identify red blood cell units within 10 days of expiration. The process utilized specialized technologies, including validated temperature-controlled blood unit coolers, and coordinated workflows to maintain product viability during transport. Documentation steps throughout the process allow for traceability and quality assurance.
As the program matured, transfusion rates for transferred units increased from 85.2% during the first year to more than 98% in subsequent years.
“Cottage Health has demonstrated what is possible when organizations treat health technology management and resource stewardship as system-based challenges,” says Scott Lucas, vice president of devices, therapeutics, and technology at ECRI, in a release. “The team created a reliable, sustainable model that improves patient care, reduces waste, and strengthens the organization’s bond with the community, showing how systems-focused technology management can deliver lasting value.”
ECRI selected Clínica Imbanaco in Cali, Colombia, as the 2026 runner-up for the award. The facility was recognized for its efforts to reduce the environmental impact and safety risks associated with inhaled anesthetic agents. The organization conducted a systems-based analysis to identify and implement safer anesthesia administration techniques, eliminating the use of nitrous oxide and desflurane. The project achieved an 89.36% reduction in halogenated anesthetic use and a 60.6% reduction in its carbon footprint.
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