With increasing handheld electronics use in hospitals, there is a risk that frequently touched objects can harbor germs, according to an article on the Becker's Infection Control & Clinical Quality website.
Because standard disinfecting methods could damage the electronics, hospitals are trying to figure out how to keep tablets and cell phones from spreading germs.
A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control examined the use of UV light to disinfect these electronics.
Researchers used a handheld UV-C-emitting light and found that a few seconds of irradiation led to a significant reduction of the bacterial load on the surface of the electronics.
Technological Readiness: The Missing Construction Milestone
From Cooling Towers to Cost Savings: Hospital Seizes Power-Saving Opportunity
Community Health Center of Buffalo Reports Data Breach
CRAB Alert: The EVS Role in Preventing Infection
Why Hospital Waiting Rooms Aren't Going Away