From smartphones to tablets to mobile workstations and laptops, electronic devices play an increasingly important role in healthcare settings today. Yet, while these devices aid in diagnostics and administration, they can also pose hygiene and infection challenges.
As mobile devices move from room to room, they may come into contact with different hands. Even if healthcare workers are following strict protocols around hand washing and sanitization, such devices can still act as vectors for the transmission of disease-causing microbes.
Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that on any given day in the U.S., approximately one in 25 hospital patients will have at least one healthcare-associated infection. The fact is that all too many patients in U.S. hospitals — about 2 million every year— fall victim to infections from superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be extremely difficult and costly to treat.
Regular cleaning of surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for preventing the spread of illnesses in healthcare settings. Yet, not all devices are designed to withstand repeated daily disinfections.
According to the CDC, electronics are considered non-critical items, meaning they don’t need to be sent to a central processing area to be cleaned. Rather, clinicians, nurses, administrators and other healthcare staff can and should disinfect these devices regularly during the course of the day. In order to meet demands like these, devices must be highly durable, able to withstand repeated cleaning and disinfection without degradation. The CDC recommends a cleaning solution consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water for high-touch, external device surfaces.
Why HP devices for healthcare?
Designed to meet the rigors of modern healthcare environments, HP Healthcare Edition PCs and displays are able withstand repeated sanitization without damage or materials degradation. In addition to their robust design, HP devices also offer market-leading integrated security and a host of tools to streamline clinical workflows such as in BIOS-level protection, robust, optional multifactor authentication and embedded fixed privacy filters that limit the field of view. Fingerprint readers, IR cameras and video-ready capabilities further enhance HP’s offering, for a superior telemedicine experience. With solutions tailored to suit every clinical environment, HP Healthcare Edition products offer both all-in-one solutions and 24-inch clinical review displays.
Solutions such as HP’s Engage Go convertible systems allow clinicians to connect safely with patients where it matters most. Designed to achieve peak performance with a solution that stands up to demanding environments with an incredibly resilient design, long lifecycle, high-speed processor and long-lasting battery, these systems can also be sanitized after every shift. To ensure optimum performance, HP conducted germicidal sanitization testing on the Engage Go and Engage One, using up to 10,000 wipes with germicidal towelettes on devices over a three-year period. Devices performed capably, meeting the standards for IEC 60601-1-2 (EMC standard for medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems).
In short, ensuring that mobile devices are rugged and able to meet the demands of rigorous sanitization protocols is paramount. Yet, functionality, data security and processing can never be compromised. With HP, it’s easy to ensure you’re capably equipped.