Healthcare workers' mobile phones provide a reservoir of bacteria known to cause nosocomial infections. UK National Health Service restrictions on the utilization of mobile phones within hospitals have been relaxed; however, utilization of these devices by inpatients and the risk of cross-contamination are currently unknown. Here, we examine demographics and characteristics of mobile phone utilization by inpatients and phone surface microbial contamination. One hundred and two out of 145 (70.3%) inpatients who completed a questionnaire detailing their opinions and utilization of mobile phones, also provided their mobile phones for bacteriological analysis and comparative bacteriological swabs from their nasal cavities; 92.4% of patients support utilization of mobile phones by inpatients; indeed, 24.5% of patients stated that mobile phones were vital to their inpatient stay. Patients in younger age categories were more likely to possess a mobile phone both inside and outside hospital (p <0.01) but there was no gender association. Eighty-six out of 102 (84.3%) patients' mobile phone swabs were positive for microbial contamination. Twelve (11.8%) phones grew bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection. Seven (6.9%) phones and 32 (31.4%) nasal swabs demonstrated Staphylococcus aureus contamination. MSSA/MRSA contamination of phones was associated with concomitant nasal colonization. Patient utilization of mobile phones in the clinical setting is popular and common; however, we recommend that patients are educated by clear guidelines and advice on inpatient mobile phone etiquette, power charging safety, regular cleaning of phones and hand hygiene, and advised not to share phones or related equipment with other inpatients in order to prevent transmission of bacteria.

AimsTranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an increasingly common intervention for patients with aortic stenosis deemed high risk for major cardiac surgery, but identifying those who will benefit can be challenging. Frailty reflects physiological reserve and may be a useful prognostic marker in this population. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between frailty and outcomes after TAVI.Methods and ResultsFive databases were searched between January 2000 and May 2015. From 2623 articles screened, 54 were assessed for eligibility. Ten cohort studies (n = 4592) met the inclusion criteria of reporting a measure of frailty with early (≤30 days) or late (>30 days) mortality and procedural complications following TAVI as defined by the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC). Frailty was associated with increased early mortality in four studies (n = 1900) (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.78–3.09, P < 0.001) and increased late mortality in seven studies (n = 3159) (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.34–1.97, P < 0.001). Objective frailty tools identified an even higher risk group for late mortality (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.87–3.70, P < 0.001). Frail individuals undergoing TAVI have a mortality rate of 34 deaths per 100 patient years, compared with 19 deaths per 100 patient years in non-frail patients. There was limited reporting of VARC procedural outcomes in relation to frailty, preventing meta-analysis.ConclusionFrailty assessment in an already vulnerable TAVI population identifies individuals at even greater risk of poor outcomes. Use of objective frailty tools may inform patient selection, but this requires further assessment in large prospective registries.

Increasing diversity of available medical applications (apps) has led to their widespread use in healthcare delivery. However, app involvement in diagnosis and patient management has raised concerns, specifically regarding accuracy and reliability of content. Here, we report on the contemporary range of microbiology-themed apps and prevalence of medical professional involvement in app development. Of 94 microbiology-themed apps identified, only 34% had stated medical professional involvement. The lack of such involvement in app design is concerning and undermines consumers' ability to be informed regarding quality of content. We propose that increased regulatory measures are introduced to safeguard patient welfare.

Mobile communication technologies are employed in many diverse areas of healthcare delivery to provide improved quality and efficiency of communication and facilitate increased rapidity of data or information transfer. Mobile phones enable healthcare professionals to possess a portable platform from which to provide many healthcare-related applications and are a popular means to directly communicate with colleagues and patients. As involvement of mobile communication technology in healthcare delivery continues to rapidly expand, there are also important considerations of relevance to patient safety and security as a result. Here, we review the previous evidence of reported clinical risks associated with mobile communication technology, such as electromagnetic interference, confidentiality and data security, distraction/noise, infection control, and cross contamination. In conclusion, although mobile phones provide much putative potential improvement to healthcare delivery, further evaluation and research are required to both inform and protect health professionals and users of such technology in the healthcare environment and provide the evidence base to support the provision of clear and comprehensive guidelines.