To secure the position of being the healthcare industry's mobile choice, BlackBerry CEO John Chen said the company may design a bacteria-free smartphone, according to a Bloomberg Business report.
Mr. Chen made the announcement earlier this week at Mackenzie Richmond Hill (Ontario) Hospital north of Toronto, where the mobile manufacturer was unveiling a new clinical alerts pilot project.
Transfer of infections and bacteria between patients in hospitals is a "huge issue" because equipment in patient rooms, including mobile phones, can carry bacteria through the hospital, Aviv Gladman, MD, CMIO of Mackenzie Health in Richmond Hill, told Bloomberg Business.
According to Dr. Gladman, healthcare workers are supposed to wipe their phones with alcohol wipes before entering and exiting a patient room, but hospitals don't really know how effective the wipes are at removing bacteria from the mobile devices, and some workers fail to do so at times.
Despite BlackBerry's announcement, Mr. Chen notes the company has not yet begun developing a "clean phone."
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