Originally published February 3 2005
Hospitals reconsider cell phone bans as they try to catch up with the latest technology
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
While you can find cell phones virtually anywhere these days, one place where they’re often forbidden is in hospital wards. But now hospitals are rethinking their “no cell phones” policies. For instance, soon visitors at Sacramento’s Sutter Memorial Hospital will be able to use cell phones in patient rooms. That’s because new research shows that the radiation from cell phones does not interfere with hospital equipment.
Cell phones are almost everywhere: in cars, on the street and in purses and pockets.
However, one place you won't normally see them is in hospitals.
But even that's slowly changing as some hospitals re-evaluate their cell phone rules.
Soon, visitors at Sacramento's Sutter Memorial Hospital will be able to use cell phones in patient rooms.
"We have a body of experience that, with a few exceptions, cell phones don't create a risk to patients," said Sutter engineer Jon Rice.
For years, it was thought that radiation from cell phones interfered with hospital equipment.
But new research shows current cell phones don't seem to be a problem.
"Sutter tested much of its medical equipment with cell phones, and our testing process indicated there were no problems as long as the cell phone was 3 feet away from the medical device," Rice said.
But it's the fear of interference that's keeping other Sacramento hospitals from lifting their cell phone bans.
And there are other issues to consider, like the disruptions.
"It is an issue with patient privacy.
Patients' medical conditions may be inadvertently disclosed to people who shouldn't know anything about that information," said KCRA HealthWatch 3's Dr. Tom Hopkins.
And how does one enforce a no-cell phone rule anyway?
"If we had a policy of telling people to get rid of cell phones, people would get angry.
People get angry on that," said nurse Michelle McKnight.
Sutter says it will be talking about changing its cell phone policy this week and, then it will go through a review board before anything changes.
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