Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) concerns have risen dramatically since the CDC labeled stethoscope hygiene as a critical factor in addressing disease transmission. Scientific literature proves that medical devices may be overlooked as vectors for pathogens spread through touch, disproving the assumption that hand-to-hand contact is the only cause of transmission in clinical settings. After this, stethoscopes are the main perpetrators of disease and bacteria in healthcare facilities due to frequent patient contact and ineffective hygiene methods. California-based medical device startup AseptiScope® has introduced The DiskCover™ System, a revolutionary technology that prevents stethoscopes from touching patients directly during exams. The company’s novel technology is being adopted by leading cancer centers in the US to safeguard some of the nation’s most vulnerable patients and tackle the issue of alcohol-resistant pathogens.
Commonly referred to as a ‘clinician’s third hand,’ stethoscopes touch US patients over five billion times per year and are as contaminated as unwashed hands. These findings prove that infection control measures have inadequately considered the risk of medical devices such as stethoscopes. Stethoscopes were disinfected per CDC guidelines in less than 4% of encounters, and it’s very plausible that patients are exposed to pathogens during every hospital visit.
Past guidelines have misclassified stethoscopes as a “non-critical” concern, but accrued evidence has shown just the opposite, with experts in the field calling on the CDC to elevate the stethoscope to a concern as significant as clinicians’ hands. In response, this year, the CDC has issued that stethoscopes ‘transmit via touch,’ and that, like hands, hygiene should be conducted between every patient exam.
However, decades of indiscriminately disinfecting with isopropyl alcohol have fueled the development of alcohol-resistant pathogens capable of surviving the recommended 60 seconds of cleaning. Leading experts in major cancer centers have called for novel solutions to this rapidly growing safety concern and updates in the CDC’s guidelines. Disposable stethoscope diaphragms have been proposed as a mitigation strategy to reduce pathogen transmission.
A new technology, The DiskCover™ System, has demonstrated immediate resolution to stethoscope contamination and transmission. This cutting-edge system is more effective than previously suggested disinfection methods. The DiskCover™ System eliminates the shortcomings of stethoscope hygiene by eliminating direct contact between the stethoscope and the patient, so that each exam is completely clean, and patients have no exposure to dangerous pathogens during examination.
Recently, experts at the top cancer centers in the U.S. called for stethoscope hygiene to become a prioritized “new normal” and, compared the data associated with all options for hygiene, their conclusion was that The DiskCover™ System’s aseptic, touch-free barriers are superior across a wide range of considerations. Most significantly, because they provide an “aseptic point of contact 100% of the time,” which elevates patient safety to a new level.
In Houston, the cancer care leader MD Anderson Cancer Center held its annual emergencies in oncology conference, where several abstracts were presented on the subject of stethoscope contamination. One of these publications, entitled “stethoscopes no longer need to touch patients,” received great interest from cancer experts in attendance.“The DiskCover™ System was created to address this major patient safety issue, and we have designed it to be easy, convenient, and immediate. Most importantly, it was designed to completely halt the transmission of pathogens and elevate patient safety during examinations,” says Scott Mader, CEO at San Diego-based AseptiScope®.
“Cancer patients are more susceptible to infection due to their course of treatment, stethoscope exams, and routine in patient assessment,” said Gerardo Midence, MD, an oncologist at the St. Joseph Cancer Center in Lewiston, Idaho. “We evaluated The DiskCover™ System and found it useful, practical, and functional. Importantly, it makes stethoscope hygiene more reliable and timely.” The DiskCover™ System is being placed in hand hygiene stations, where healthcare providers are already trained to stop before seeing the patient. For this reason, it’s no surprise that it is preferred by clinicians who rely on stethoscopes – because of their high-fidelity, time-saving nature.
The DiskCover System is also elevating patient experience, as it is a visible indicator of protection. In a study by investigators at the world-leading Cleveland Clinic, patients reported that they rarely see stethoscopes being cleaned and immediately feel The DiskCover™ System is a robust measure keeping them safe during exams. Five thousand miles to the west, Dr. Eric Crawley, a specialist at Hawaii Pacific Health, doesn’t need the study to see the impact on patient satisfaction. “I use this every single day, on every single patient, and, without fail, patients are blown away by it. They are incredibly impressed by our commitment to their safety. I deal with a considerable number of transplants, immuno-suppressed patients, and people that don’t need to pick up resistant pathogens.”
In a post-COVID era where patients are increasingly concerned about cleanliness in clinical environments, the need for transparent, reliable, and effective infection control measures has never been more critical. Medical literature has long recognized the severity of pathogen transmission through stethoscopes, and providers are beginning to join this movement in light of changing guidelines. As breakthrough technology like the DiskCover™ System enables touch-free diagnostic experiences, patients can rest easy knowing that providers are committed to reducing healthcare-associated infection, preventing the growth of highly resistant pathogens to protect them in every way possible.
