Wireless technologies and patient safety in hospitals

In the development of policies for wireless technologies, it is important for healthcare organizations to reduce risks to patients from use of wireless devices. Policy should be devised for instructing hospital staff, visitors, and patients, avoiding unwarranted restrictions but not ignoring evidence regarding potential interference problems, and allowing comparison with other clinical facilities of benefits of policy. To inform policy developers and a general audience of hospital personnel, a review was conducted on the safety of wireless devices for communication within hospitals. This review targeted electromagnetic interference effects of devices on medical devices and summarises key recommendations from published reports and international standards. There is consensus that the highest risk of interference occurs with two-way radios used by emergency crews, followed by mobile phones, while radio local area networks produce negligible interference. Wireless technologies are deemed suitable for use throughout hospital areas including intensive care units and operating rooms, given that recommended separation distances from medical equipment are observed.