Cell Phone Use Has No Effect in Hospitals

Usually when you walk into a hospital or medical clinic, you'll notice there are signs that prohibit the use of cell phones in the vicinity. This is because cell phone use, in theory, creates interference that disrupts transmissions between different pieces of medical equipment. In addition, consensus is that simply leaving a cell phone on in your pocket could cause disruption because data is still being transmitted from the cell phone to the tower. Although this seems textbook logical to physicists, studies indicate that mobile devices do not have a negative effect on hospital equipment. Next time a nurse or doctor yells at you about your cell phone, you have every right to be defensive.

A study by Mayo Clinic researchers dispels the notion that it is unsafe to use mobile phones at a health care facility. A Mayo Clinic team in Rochester performed 300 tests with two cell phones, each with different technologies and carriers, and 192 medical devices. None of the tests displayed any type of problem to the medical devices.

The ban on mobile phones places a huge deal of inconvenience on patients and families. They must exit the hospitals in order to make phone calls. It is extremely difficult to track urgent calls when mobile devices are required to be turned off at these facilities. However, some hospitals have begun to allow cell phone use. Studies show that even though mobile phones do not cause interferences, other electronic devices, such as CD players do.

The University of Kentucky Hospital allows the use of cell phones indoors. According to a newsletter issued by the hospital, newer and modern cell phone technologies have implemented digitalized capabilities that decrease the potential for interference. This is highly amazing since newer phones, such as BlackBerrys and iPhones, have large capacities that utilize lots of data. Back in the day, basic phones that could only make or receive calls were banned. Today, in several hospitals, high tech smartphones are allowed. This is because older cell phones transmit an analog signal that is extremely powerful and increases the likelihood of interference. Newer cell phones are digital so they operate at lower power levels.