Role of smartphones in the OR

Editor's Note

Like healthcare facilities across the country, those in Oregon are struggling with the growing problem of smartphones in the OR.

This article and audio includes interviews OR personnel, residents, medical students, managers, administrators, and patient safety regulators on the issue of smartphones in the OR.

The executive director of the Oregon Outpatient Surgery Center implemented a policy that bans smartphone use in the patient care areas.

The head of the Oregon Patient Safety Commission is concerned that smartphone distractions can cause harm to patients in the OR, as well as being vectors for infection and disease.

The vice-chair of clinical anesthesia at Oregon Health and Science University notes that smartphones in the OR are not inherently a bad idea, and in some cases can be lifesaving. It depends on context, he says.

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From the home to the workplace, smartphones have become a mainstay of modern life. Now, hospitals are struggling to deal with the growing problem of mobile technology in the operating room. Health care professionals are encouraged to access patient data, but what happens when they use their device to check email or tweet something during a procedure that requires their attention?