In a globalized society, reducing the risk of catching an infectious disease through increased hand hygiene has never been more important. Infectious diseases typically spread through contaminated droplets in the air and on surfaces. This is why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) in its guidelines for safeguarding health-care professionals and patients.
Designed to protect
One way clinic administrators can help protect frontline medical workers is by choosing instruments and mobile devices designed specifically to repel and kill infectious diseases. This is particularly important when mobile devices travel from room to room with nurses and clinicians, because even if a device is dedicated to an active infectious disease unit, additional exposure to the same disease can increase negative consequences for patients. In short, hygiene isn’t an option — it’s a priority.
Datalogic’s health-care bar-code readers are easily distinguished from their industrial counterparts by their white-and-green plastic housings. But it’s not just the color that distinguishes these housings. Silver-Ion additives added to the plastic of these readers inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as germs and bacteria. So these additives reduce the risk of bacteria and other germs remaining on devices and being passed between patients and providers.
In addition to containing antimicrobial materials, Datalogic’s enclosures for its medical bar-code scanners and mobile computers are designed to resist harsh, hospital-approved disinfectants. The enclosures can withstand the multiple cleanings required each day by standard hospital hygiene protocols. Dozens of sanitizations per day will not hurt them. Consumer devices, for example, can be damaged by cleaning products. Recently Apple recommended using disinfectant wipes on phones but not pressing too hard, lest users damage a phone’s coating and charging contacts.
The power to protect
Datalogic’s mobile devices for health-care workers offer two additional features: wireless charging and ergonomic designs.
Wireless charging addresses the number-one failure point of all cordless devices: oxidized charging contacts. Eliminating contacts results in greater reliability, a longer device lifetime, and a lower total cost of ownership because of fewer failures. Additionally, contacts can be receptacles for dust accumulation and microbial growth; wireless induction charging eliminates this risk.
Finally, the ergonomic design of Datalogic devices ensures that they easily fit on medical carts. It also reduces the physical fatigue associated with repetitive scanning actions.
In today’s health-care system, mobile computers and bar-code scanners play an important role in infection control and patient safety. They ensure correct patient identification while helping to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. By deploying devices containing antimicrobial and disinfectant-ready materials, and also incorporating wireless charging technology, hospitals can improve productivity while also reducing the risk of secondary infections.
For more information about mobile devices, hand-held scanners and presentation scanners designed for healthcare professionals, and how advanced data capture devices can help improve life for clinicians and patients alike, check out https://www.datalogic.com/eng/industries-applications/healthcare-sup-2.html.
