Reply to: Infectious communication: Smart phones for clinical communication

✍ Scribed by Sherman Quan; Robert Wu

• Book ID: 102343626
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 70 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1553-5592
• DOI: 10.1002/jhm.871

✦ Synopsis

We would like to thank Brady et al. for their response to our study evaluating the use of smartphones for clinical communication and for highlighting the important potential concern of nosocomial infections transmitted through mobile devices.

While there are studies in the hospital environment documenting the presence of pathogenic bacteria on mobile communication devices such as smartphones, the rate in smartphones appears to be similar to the current standard communication device, the pager. 1 We see the potential transmission of nosocomial infections as an important issue that needs to be addressed but should not be a barrier to improving clinical communication. We agree with their proposed steps to reduce cross-contamination risks that include staff education, strict hand hygiene measures,