| Usually when you walk into a hospital or medical | | | | have large capacities that utilize lots of data. Back |
| clinic, you'll notice there are signs that prohibit the | | | | in the day, basic phones that could only make or |
| use of cell phones in the vicinity. This is because | | | | receive calls were banned. Today, in several |
| cell phone use, in theory, creates interference | | | | hospitals, high tech smartphones are allowed. This |
| that disrupts transmissions between different | | | | is because older cell phones transmit an analog |
| pieces of medical equipment. In addition, | | | | signal that is extremely powerful and increases |
| consensus is that simply leaving a cell phone on in | | | | the likelihood of interference. Newer cell phones |
| your pocket could cause disruption because data | | | | are digital so they operate at lower power levels. |
| is still being transmitted from the cell phone to the | | | | Many hospitals in the UK lifted the ban as well. |
| tower. Although this seems textbook logical to | | | | "The technology, I think, has evolved and those |
| physicists, studies indicate that mobile devices do | | | | concerns, while they are still there, are very |
| not have a negative effect on hospital equipment. | | | | small," said Alan Mongraw, vice-president of |
| Next time a nurse or doctor yells at you about | | | | operations for the South-East Regional Health |
| your cell phone, you have every right to be | | | | Authority. "Certainly, current literature tells us that |
| defensive. | | | | it is a much lower risk than it ever was. There |
| A study by Mayo Clinic researchers dispels the | | | | just needs to be some, if you will, respect for the |
| notion that it is unsafe to use mobile phones at a | | | | needs of the patients and the needs of the staff." |
| health care facility. A Mayo Clinic team in | | | | Even though many hospitals do not have such a |
| Rochester performed 300 tests with two cell | | | | policy yet, administrators should take it into |
| phones, each with different technologies and | | | | serious consideration. Hospitals don't necessarily |
| carriers, and 192 medical devices. None of the | | | | have to allow cell phone use in all areas, perhaps |
| tests displayed any type of problem to the | | | | setup convenient, designated zones so that |
| medical devices. | | | | patients and families do not have to worry about |
| The ban on mobile phones places a huge deal of | | | | communicating or when expecting important |
| inconvenience on patients and families. They must | | | | phone calls. In today's age, people rely heavily on |
| exit the hospitals in order to make phone calls. It | | | | cell phones to communicate with friends, families, |
| is extremely difficult to track urgent calls when | | | | and co-workers via multiple mediums. Whether it |
| mobile devices are required to be turned off at | | | | is text message, phone call, or email, people |
| these facilities. However, some hospitals have | | | | should have the ability to communicate. |
| begun to allow cell phone use. Studies show that | | | | We also see this transformation in airplanes. |
| even though mobile phones do not cause | | | | Although it is gradual, many airlines are starting to |
| interferences, other electronic devices, such as | | | | allow the use of cell phones because many |
| CD players do. | | | | studies do not find any correlation between cell |
| The University of Kentucky Hospital allows the | | | | phones and equipment interference. |
| use of cell phones indoors. According to a | | | | Electromagnetic theory shows that interference |
| newsletter issued by the hospital, newer and | | | | patterns could be present, but we can only find |
| modern cell phone technologies have implemented | | | | out for sure through comprehensive statistical |
| digitalized capabilities that decrease the potential | | | | testing. Reality is people are becoming more |
| for interference. This is highly amazing since | | | | dependent on cell phones and should have access |
| newer phones, such as BlackBerrys and iPhones, | | | | to them when they do not pose a threat. |