Can you hear me now? Hospitals lift cell phone bans
Hospitals are allowing more mobile phone use in their facilities, so says a survey by the College of Health Information Management Executives (CHIME).
Some 23 percent of the 185 survey respondents said their organization has lifted all restrictions on mobile phone use, an increase of 5.5 percent over a similar survey in 2004. Only 6 percent of respondents indicated that cell phone use is entirely prohibited at their hospitals.
Mobile phone use is restricted in certain areas such as ER or ICU, 69 percent of respondents said. A healthy number of hospital executives – 39 percent – also said their organization has or will install technology to enhance cell phone signals.
The survey was conducted April 23-30 on the CHIME Web site. It was open to all of the organization's CIO members. More information: http://www.cio-chime.org/pressreleases/pr6_26_2007_10_58_24.asp
Some 23 percent of the 185 survey respondents said their organization has lifted all restrictions on mobile phone use, an increase of 5.5 percent over a similar survey in 2004. Only 6 percent of respondents indicated that cell phone use is entirely prohibited at their hospitals.
Mobile phone use is restricted in certain areas such as ER or ICU, 69 percent of respondents said. A healthy number of hospital executives – 39 percent – also said their organization has or will install technology to enhance cell phone signals.
The survey was conducted April 23-30 on the CHIME Web site. It was open to all of the organization's CIO members. More information: http://www.cio-chime.org/pressreleases/pr6_26_2007_10_58_24.asp