LINDON, Utah, July 28, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Use of smartphones and other mobile devices in the healthcare setting has skyrocketed over the past decade, but infection prevention protocols designed to keep them clean have not kept pace, says PhoneSoap. In fact, research suggests as few as 13-37% of healthcare providers report regularly cleaning their devices.
This leaves a significant gap in healthcare infection prevention and control efforts as mounting evidence shows mobile devices frequently carry pathogenic bacteria and viruses on their surfaces, posing a significant infection risk to healthcare providers and the patients they treat.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles takes disinfecting of mobile devices very seriously. Recently, their Infectious Disease physicians conducted and published a study in the American Journal of Infection Control titled, “Shining a light on the pathogenicity of health care providers’ mobile phones: use of a novel Ultraviolet C wave disinfection device.”
The study evaluated the disinfection efficacy of a UV-C device, PhoneSoap Pro generation 1, for the mobile phones of pediatric residents and nurses working a 12-hour shift on a pediatric medical/surgical unit. The researchers found that total pathogenic bacterial counts were reduced by 98.2% after one 30-second disinfection cycle and by >99.99% after two disinfection cycles.
“The use of UV-C light allows us to disinfect cell phones in a sustainable manner without the use of wipes or cleaning products,” said Sanchi Malhotra, MD, a fellow in infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and primary investigator of the study. The researchers also point to the fact that many wipes are not intended for use on mobile devices, are not recyclable, and are subject to shortage.
The effective pathogenic reduction seen after just a 30-second disinfection cycle aligns with the needs of the healthcare industry for which time constraints and workflow patterns demand a rapid and efficient solution. The technology also provides an opportunity for establishing an easily-implemented disinfection protocol.
Jeffrey Bender, MD, a specialist in infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, said, “In hospitals, we are already using UV-C light to disinfect equipment, patient rooms, and other spaces. Using a UV-C device allows us to standardize the process of disinfecting personal cell phones and potentially further reduce risk of infection.”
Citing survey results demonstrating that the staff overwhelmingly endorsed use of the device, the study authors conclude that the phone and tablet disinfecting technology offers a valuable and well-received approach to reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections and protecting healthcare providers.
ABOUT PHONESOAP:
PhoneSoap was invented by cousins Dan Barnes and Wes LaPorte after recognizing the need to decontaminate hand-held devices. They conducted testing and results proved that the average phone is 18 times dirtier than a public bathroom. PhoneSoap has sold over two million consumer units and continues to grow at a rapid speed. In the past three years, additional models have been released as well as newer devices including PhoneSoap Go, HomeSoap and screen-cleaning accessories like the PhoneSoap Shine and Microfiber Pad 3-pack. PhoneSoap’s focus continues to be making the world a healthier place.
Learn more at: https://www.phonesoap.com/
*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0728s2p-med-pro-300dpi.jpg
*Photo caption: Med Pro with table stand.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Denise Graham
deniseAgraham@gmail.com (202)294-6314
Kelli Sprunt
kelli@phonesoap.com (951)505-3374
News Source: PhoneSoap