A New Era of Patient Safety and Hygiene Protocol with AseptiScope's DiskCover® System

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a persistent and tremendous threat to patient safety, having claimed 72,000 patients during their hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The stethoscope, known as a clinician's 'third hand,' is a passive and unexamined vector of these infections, acting as the vector for deadly diseases like central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Despite its frequent use in healthcare provision, which is estimated to touch patients 5 billion times a year in the US, stethoscope hygiene has largely been overlooked. Consistent data has grown over the last decade, which confirms that the stethoscope is a highly contaminated vector that transmits pathogens between patients and requires hygiene standards similar to hand hygiene. Medical association guidelines have been updated recently to address this important patient safety issue, and the CDC has also confirmed these changes in their forthcoming guidelines.

That's where the DiskCover® System by AseptiScope, a groundbreaking solution to redefine stethoscope hygiene, comes in. The first touch-free stethoscope hygiene system of its kind, the DiskCover® System is an FDA-approved solution designed for the aseptic application of stethoscope disk covers to ensure a robust and effective stethoscope barrier for patient safety. This simple and effective solution eliminates the risk posed by the ineffectual alcohol wipes traditionally used.

Stethoscope disinfection practices have been unregulated, inconsistent, and inadequate for far too long. This is because self-administered disinfection has the inherent risk of human error and logistical drawbacks that exclude the possibility of compliance. Alcohol wipes and other similar 'solutions' have limited efficacy, and enforcement is impractical due to the busy schedules of healthcare professionals.

These new standards aim to make stethoscope hygiene as critical as hand hygiene, and they were written by the same team that wrote the hygiene guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, professional associations like the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) have preceded the CDC by issuing its own standards of care for stethoscope hygiene between each patient encounter to integrate the more effective and high compliance disposable barrier solution into recommended practice.

Holding healthcare institutions more accountable for patient safety, healthcare providers are integrating stethoscope hygiene procedures that align with hand hygiene. As new standards for patient safety evolve, the integration of this shift into hospital policy is critical to avoid financial and regulatory consequences. Medical-legal liability concerns for patient infections that focus on hand hygiene compliance will begin inquiring about standards for stethoscope hygiene compliance. Regulatory bodies, like The Joint Commission, will scrutinize hygiene practices when there are HAI outbreaks. AORN's guidelines outline a reality where healthcare providers institute stethoscope hygiene as the standard, where some hospitals have never instituted a stethoscope hygiene policy, leaving both the patient and the institution exposed.

"I really see technology playing a huge role in our ability to resolve this challenge," says Kathleen Vollman, a clinical nurse specialist and president of the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses. "Cleaning stethoscopes between patients has never worked because it can damage the stethoscope and is ineffective against many resistant pathogens." The new touch-free DiskCover® System has already proven its role in impacting thousands of lives. One Memphis hospital that installed the system saw a significant decrease in CLABSIs—a class of preventable infections occurring in the US 250,000 times per year, resulting in 28,000 deaths and billions of added dollars to the US healthcare system every year, with an estimated cost of $48,000 per episode. "The DiskCover® System has made stethoscope cleanliness uncomplicated and transparent for our ICU," says Naomi Ragsdale, a nurse and infection control expert. "We are able to monitor usage and have peace of mind knowing the compliance of our staff is on par with our hygiene goals which in turn decreases the risk for a hospital-acquired infection." This data is accepted for presentation this Spring at NTI—the largest hospital nursing conference.

There was also a study recently conducted by The Cleveland Clinic that demonstrated the results of aseptic stethoscope barriers through a controlled experience where researchers showed patients the application of three different hygiene variables: no hygiene, alcohol wipes, and the DiskCover® System. The results were as expected; both clinicians and patients overwhelmingly preferred the DiskCover® System for the visible assurance it provides and ease of use. In the post-COVID era, patients are alerted to germ transmission risks and are reassured when they see visible indicators of infection protection. While traditional methods require patients' trust in unseen actions, a touch-free barrier visibly shows that hygiene measures are being taken, enhancing patient experience.

Now, with the first evidence-based template for stethoscope hygiene policy and procedure, developed and authored by three leading clinicians in three different disciplines, new standards can be immediately implemented. Hospitals nationwide can now use the DiskCover® System with ease and increased patient safety and compliance.

These shifts in standards of care make uncovered, unclean stethoscopes culpable vectors in the event of infections during healthcare delivery. As healthcare providers, the responsibility towards patients must extend to every tool they use, including their 'third hand.' The DiskCover® System offers a seamless, cost-effective, and impactful solution that complies with the new standard. As CEO of AseptiScope Scott W. Mader adds, "It's simple. It's direct. We know what's happening, we know it affects patient safety, and we know the current limitations. And we have here a new technology that gets it done."

The data is clear, the tools are available, and the guidelines are here. It's time for healthcare institutions and clinicians everywhere to make stethoscope hygiene a new cornerstone of infection prevention and patient safety. By embracing AseptiScope's DiskCover® System, the next evolution of healthcare can begin.