Why do doctors still carry pagers/beepers?

Didn't cell phones and text messaging replace pagers like 10 years ago?

Originally Posted by therick

In many hospitals there's still the perception that cell phones can disrupt some patient monitoring equipment and pagers operate on a different frequency, so they're considered safe.

You say "there's still the perception" which implies that it is not true. Is it in error?

Thank you. I know I just automatically turn off mine when I enter a medical facility. Sounds like it may still be a good idea, even for minimal risk.

Originally Posted by zhawk

There have been a number of studies recently that indicate that for the most part cell phones do not pose a danger around most medical equipment in hospitals (this study is from 2007 from the Mayo Clinic: Mayo Clinic - Hospital Equipment Unaffected By Cell Phone Use, Study Finds). But I believe there are some types of equipment that can experience interference, and hospitals find it easier to maintain an outright ban than try to finesse the whole thing.

Having spent entirely too much time in hospitals since the first of the year, I can say that no one ever tried to stop me from using my cell phone in my room, but I often saw signs in various clinics and testing facilities (CT/PET scan, X-ray, etc.) that said cell phones had to be turned off.

Only on cardiac floors do they ban cell phone use. I have been working the last three weeks with 3 different hospital who have reception issues. My company is installing equipment so the doctors can use there phone all over inside the hospitals including (Radiology, Surgery, ER, and most other parts of the hospital you wouldn't think you could use a cell phone).

I was told by several different hospital administrators they consider cell phone use by patients and visitors more of an annoyance than anything else.

I also wonder if HIPPA (not sure I got the acronym right) has anything to do with it. If a doctor answers his/her cell phone in the presence of others, and discusses a patient where others can hear it, that's a HIPPA violation. The pager makes it so that a doctor can make it a bit easier to excuse themselves to make the call.

Originally Posted by bluestater

If a doctor answers his/her cell phone in the presence of others, and discusses a patient where others can hear it, that's a HIPPA violation.

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

It's only a problem if he mentions the patient's name.