Healthcare organisations that allow their employees to use their own smartphones at work could be promoting a way for COVID-19 to potentially infect people. This is because consumer-grade smartphones can’t be cleaned as thoroughly and effectively as purpose-built mobile devices. The virus can live on these surfaces for up to several days.
This is especially concerning because a recent study by Infection Control Today found that 83% of survey respondents used their personal mobile technology devices in the hospital and just 68% said they cleaned or decontaminated those devices regularly.
Users constantly touch their smartphones, hold them to their faces to speak into them. Additionally, they rarely wash their hands before and after touching their devices. In spite of that, smartphones are increasingly being used in hospitals and other healthcare settings to streamline workflows and make workers’ jobs easier.
This creates a significant issue during normal times. However, with the current pandemic in which the virus is very contagious and is potentially deadly, hospitals and other healthcare facilities need to urgently review the use of personal devices.
The Solution
The ideal solution to this issue is a device provided by the hospital. Purpose-built mobile devices tend to be more robust and secure, as well as more productive. Some organisations have avoided these devices in the belief that they don’t provide a desirable user experience. It’s a wrong notion. The truth is, these new purpose-built phones more closely mimic the consumer-grade experience that people prefer.
Furthermore, purpose-built healthcare smartphones such as the Spectralink Versity have been specifically designed for the harsh hospital environment. They have longer-lasting batteries, more robust security, and consumer-quality user experience. Versity was specifically designed with materials that can withstand the thoroughness of hospital-grade cleaning and disinfection.
The Spectralink Versity has an IP68 rating. It means it can withstand immersion in water. It can also be disinfected using cleaners such as bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and isopropyl alcohol. This device can even be cleaned with UV cleaning equipment. On the other hand, consumer-grade smartphones can’t withstand this sort of treatment. These devices will quickly begin to malfunction or stop working altogether if cleaned with these materials.
The Benefits of Using Spectralink Versity
The Spectralink Versity offers significant additional benefits as well as helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 in hospitals. These include:
Built for constant use: The two reasons consumer devices aren’t built to be used constantly in the workplace are poor battery life and fragile screens while purpose-built devices overcome these issues with long battery life and robust design.
Reliable coverage: In a hospital environment, spotty or unreliable network coverage is unacceptable. Purpose-built devices use Wi-fi and are optimised for voice applications, delivering quality that consumer phones can’t match.
Secure messaging: Purpose-built devices offer secure messaging that complies with all relevant regulations.
Seamless integration: Purpose-built phones integrate with existing infrastructure and don’t require excessive support by the IT team.
Robust: Purpose-built devices are designed to withstand brutal conditions.
Given the significant advantages of purpose-built devices versus consumer-grade smartphones, deploying a solution such as Spectralink Versity can dramatically reduce the risk for hospitals and healthcare facilities. These devices offer better functionality all round as well as the ability to thoroughly clean and disinfect the devices to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
If you want to keep your workplace Covid-free and if you want to keep your staff safe, turn to Copia today. We have a wide range of products that will perfectly suit your business needs. Call us at 1300 026 742.
Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Microgen
Source: Hospital Health