Installing ultraviolet-C mobile phone sanitisers could save hospitals $500-$700 per bed annually compared to handwashing after phone use, according to new research.
The study, led by Bond University, calculated the savings over a decade based on a hypothetical 200-bed hospital in a developed country.
Researchers considered two scenarios. In the first, hospital staff were required to wash their hands after every contact with mobile phones.
In the second, phones were decontaminated in ultraviolet-C devices after every use.
It was estimated the hospital could save $1-1.4 million over 10 years based on one UV-C device for every two patient beds.
Study author Associate Professor Lotti Tajouri said decontaminating phones is important because they carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, food-borne and respiratory viruses, fungi and protozoa.
“Microbial-laden mobile phones negate handwashing and it is imperative to seek solutions to sanitise these high-touch surfaces in the hands of healthcare workers,” he said.
These microbes can cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) – illnesses acquired by patients after being admitted to hospital.
Seven out of every 100 hospitalised patients in developed countries contract an HAI, rising to one in 10 in developing countries.
Dr Tajouri said the researchers considered the cost of water, soap, and paper towels for handwashing, as well as the electricity, purchase price and maintenance costs for UV-C devices.
“While relatively costly to purchase, these devices are hands-free, require minimal maintenance and generally have a long operational life.
“There are about 100,000 hospital beds in Australia, so even at the lower end of our calculations, installing efficient hospital-grade UV-C sanitisers to clean soiled phones could save $50 million per year.
“That’s a considerable sum at a time when governments everywhere are grappling with rising healthcare costs.
"When considering the combined total of hospital beds in Europe, the UK, Canada, the US, and Australia - approximately 3.5 million - the potential savings could reach $1.7 billion annually."
There is growing evidence that the widespread use of mobile phones in healthcare settings pose a significant threat to patient safety.
In a UK study, 96 percent of 105 mobile phones belonging to healthcare workers showed evidence of bacterial contamination, while 14 percent were contaminated with bacteria known to cause HAIs.
In another Bond University study, 20 phones belonging to attendees at an international conference for doctors were harbouring 2204 microbes including 882 bacteria, 1229 viruses, 88 fungi, and 5 single-celled protists.
UV-C sanitisers are a proven infection control measure and are used in medical laboratories worldwide, with the UV-C light degrading the pathogens’ DNA and RNA.
The study assumed handwashing and UV-C sanitisers would be equally effective at reducing the spread of microbes.
It did not consider the practical aspects of installing UV-C devices such as training needs, potential damage to mobile devices after repeated exposure to UV-C, and space requirements.
The research was conducted without any commercial conflicts of interest.
The study Ultraviolet-C-based sanitization is a cost-effective option for hospitals to manage health care-associated infection risks from high touch mobile phones was published in the journal Frontiers in Health Services.