Now, Mobile Phones Are Good For Hospitals
from the machine-that-goes-bing dept
Earlier in the week, a story came out of Singapore about a hospital that was allowing its staff to carry mobile phones after tests showed they had no impact on medical equipment. Many hospitals have held to their bans on phones in fear they'll interfere with equipment, but another new study says there's actually a big benefit in letting people use them (via Textually). Researchers at Yale have found that the use of cell phones in hospitals reduces their error rates since it allows for more timely communications -- and the incidence of interference is lower than the incidence of error caused by delayed communication. Looks like that long-held ban might be hurting things more than it helps.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Is there a treatment for deafness?
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Re: Is there a treatment for deafness?
It's not saying there's no interference, just that the communication benefits provided by cell phones produced more positive patient outcomes than the risk of cell phone interference with medical equipment.
The examples you refer to are anecdotal.
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In other news, cell phones save lives when...
Of course the interference would be negligible enough to not matter to equipment - its not a high power signal like your microwave oven (aka: the microwave) uses to fry food.
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Wireless World: Enormous innovation, but big chall
"There is enormous innovation in our economy -- no doubt," said James Melcher, founder of the New York City-based hedge fund, Balestra Capital Management, in an interview with Wireless World. "It's incredible. But there are problems. Why are countries with only 40 percent of the world's population (e.g., China) graduating ten times as many engineers and scientists as we are? Why are our schools pumping out so many lawyers? There is no value-added in legal work." By Gene Koprowski
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They do it here in Japan...
Then nurses' cell phone rang. She was needed upstairs for a birth. The other nurse was in the delivery room on her cell phone.
I didn't notice any funky readings on any of the equipment...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
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Re: They do it here in Japan...
about the only Cell phones I know of that may come close to interfearing are iDen network phones (Nextel, SouthernLinc) and the ones I used in the military for secure communications. They both use an odd method of side banding that causes issues for some of my gear at home.
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Why Yale is a laughingstock
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Biostatistics are obviated.
Pagers are universal in American hospitals, nobody cares about pager emf.
Quiet zones like reading rooms, movie theaters, and some hospital areas may still ban non-staff cell phones ringers and/or conversations, something that can be accomplished electronically, to further healing. Hospital telephones are fomites, anyway, and would reduce nosicomial illness and save lives if they were reduced or eliminated.
Physicians spend entirely too much time tracking each other down playing pager tag. Twenty minute delays are common, as are non-contacts altogether. Cell phones have decent screens now, and the cameras are getting better, too. These, along with computers, are useful tools that physicians should make use of. Even today, most patient charts are hand-written merely to frustrate the ambulance chasers. Cellular transmission of encrypted patient data among physicians would extend the benefit of medical expertise, decrease costs & physician distress, and improve patient care.
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Re: Why Yale is a laughingstock
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Re: Why Yale is a laughingstock
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The real truth...
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Re: The real truth...
not ever even one time has anyone said "someone has a cellphone on!"
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Re: The real truth...
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Re: The real truth...
IN alot of cases now I've heard that newer microwave don't even effect medical devices like the used to either.
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No Subject Given
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No Subject Given
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No Subject Given
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Re: No Subject Given
You should understand the tech before you make a claim such as this...The fequency emitted by a cellphone is too small to register but IT DOESCAUSE CLOSE RANGE INTERFERNCE. I am a media specialist and know for a fact that it does, you can try this at home as well. Go stand next to an analog sound source unsheiled, like the input line to your computer speakers. Your computer speakers will amplify the signal and cause annoying interferance. This happends when you either on a call or the phone is looking for a signal.
Now about the cancer stuff, you need a ton of power (voltage) to affect the human body and the proper frequencies, actually millions of volts at very high frequencies. low frequencies won't hurt you but they can make certain objects levitate. You can see these studies by searching for the philidelphia project and the Nazi Bell project.
oh and I appologize for spelling and grammer...
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Re: No Subject Given
Yeah, now about your lack of understanding the tech before you make a claim. Hmmm.
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Re: No Subject Given
Yes, YOU should!
- I am a media specialist
What does that qualify you for?
- Go stand next to an analog sound source unsheiled, like the input line to your computer speakers. Your computer speakers will amplify the signal and cause annoying interferance.
There is s big difference between reception and interference. A well designed device will receive many RF signals and will be designed to reject the interference. Cell phones have been around long enough that device manufactures know how to deal with their RF. If there is a problem then the device should be fixed.
- you need a ton of power (voltage) to affect the human body
Power actually measured in watts. It's the amperage that is dangerous in a human body. High volts or low volts don't matter. It's the amps that kill you.
- actually millions of volts at very high frequencies
Millions is an exaggeration. Your 120 volt at 60 hz electrical in your house can kill you. A 12 volt battery with enough amperage in the wrong place on your body can kill you.
- oh and I appologize for spelling and grammer...
Yeah, now about your lack of understanding the tech before you make a claim. Hmmm.
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Re: No Subject Given
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Re: No Subject Given
Not really, interferance is unwanted recpetion.
-Power actually measured in watts. It's the amperage that is dangerous in a human body. High volts or low volts don't matter. It's the amps that kill you.
Ok so let me be more specific then, You need high voltage low amperage. And Voltage does matter, high enough voltage will cause the bodyfluids to ionize and allow the current levels to rise.
-Power actually measured in watts. It's the amperage that is dangerous in a human body. High volts or low volts don't matter. It's the amps that kill you.
IF you actually read more around that quote then you'd relize i was talking about voltage needed for an electromagnetic device to cause harm.
- actually millions of volts at very high frequencies
You defanantly show a basic knowledge in electronics but you should work on those reading skills and not take a portion of the quote, unless you want o be like many misguided reporters...
and once again
- oh and I appologize for spelling and grammer...
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Cell Phones in Hospitals
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Think for a second...
I also think that a Junior Mint should be placed in every single surgical cut and wound to prevent infections.
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Re: Think for a second...
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Re: Think for a second...
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last time i was in the e.r...
i kept waiting for them to come take her phone away, but no.
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medical hospitol communication
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mobile phones
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