Cell phone musings. . .

12/19/2007 @ 6:00 pm

Posting this from a waiting area in Keio University Hospital where my son is undergoing surgery, I am wondering about the cell phone restrictions that are so strictly enforced by medical institutions.

I am fully aware of the warnings that signals connected with cellphone use can interfere with the proper operation of medical equipment. However, I cannot ever recall hearing a single news report about a person being injured or killed due to medical equipment interference from a cell phone.

Does anyone know what is up with this?

By Edward Chmura, Stored in: Gadgets, Health, Japan, Really?

8 Responses to “Cell phone musings. . .”

Nix Said:

I remember seeing an ER episode about that years and years ago, but I never thought much of it. Snopes has a page about it if you’re that interested.

December 20th, 2007 at 12:29 am

Heather Meadows Said:

I figure it’s like cell phone use on airplanes…we don’t know that it would cause the plane to malfunction and plummet to the earth, but do we really want to take that chance? :>

(Although really, even if the instruments were malfunctioning, the plane would still fly fine…it’d just be harder to land)

December 20th, 2007 at 4:28 am

Betty Woo Said:

http://healthcare.zdnet.com/?p=237 for a mini debate.

I’m musing on how Nix can do that neato ‘link-as-words’ thing… .

Are we not suppose to notice that your kid’s in *surgery*?

One hopes it’s for something minor (and slightly embarrassing — just for the squirmy factor).

Best of health to him and kin.

December 20th, 2007 at 4:32 am

Nix Said:

Betty, I just used the regular HTML coding.

December 20th, 2007 at 7:33 am

Betty Woo Said:

Oh. That kinda stuff requires three brain cells. Me? I got two cells and a Mac so I thought I was even. Apparently… no. Damned.

And now the bc’s ‘n me will have to read the tutorial.

OK. Nothing to do the rest of the day, anyway Thanks.

December 20th, 2007 at 8:11 am

vittel Said:

“One hopes it’s for something minor (and slightly embarrassing — just for the squirmy factor).”

His son’s GF is Thai, if you see what I mean.

December 20th, 2007 at 9:54 am

Edward Chmura Said:

Hah. No Thai GF or anything like that.

He had a benign growth that needed to be removed. Everything went fine.

December 20th, 2007 at 10:20 am

ghoti Said:

Glad to hear your son is doing OK. Must be miserable waiting for him in a hospital.

I read earlier this year that the Mayo Clinic lifted the ban on cell phones after it was determined they don’t pose a hazard. Watch for Japan to catch up with this development sometime next century.

December 20th, 2007 at 8:18 pm