From tablets in hallway kiosks to doctors’ own smartphones, touchscreen surfaces abound in healthcare settings, according to an infographic on the PDI website.
With everything from x-ray screens to ultrasound touchscreens to bedside portals, more screens pose more risk of spreading infection.
Phones alone — which the average American touches 46 times per day - are portable reservoirs for the transmission of pathogens, and yet 17 percent of physicians don’t even clean their devices, according to the infographic.
In fact, 83 percent of orthopedic surgeons had pathogenic bacteria on their phones when they walked into surgery.
Texas Law Limits Backup Power Mandates for Senior Care Facilities
Cyber Crossfire: Why Healthcare Is Becoming a Battleground in Global Conflicts
UPMC Presbyterian Receives $65 Million Gift for New Bed Tower
Premier Health Partners Falls Victim to Cyber Incident
Backup Power's Expanding Role in Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare