A clinical study conducted by the University College of London Hospital (UCLH) and presented at the Association of Infection Control Professionals symposium, concluded that “ a completely flat profile, a cleaning alarm, and a silicone-coated surface were the most important features in achieving low bacterial counts on high contact keyboards.“
In a busy hospital environment, everyone can use a little reminder. Medigenic keyboards provide a patented time-based reminder to staff when it is time to clean the keyboard. As soon as a moist towel is wiped across the entire surface of the keyboard, the alarm turns off, and the timer is reset. The time interval between alarms can be set using a software utility that allows users to match the keyboard alarm settings with the protocols in place at the facility. The UCLH study showed a roughly a 3x increase in compliance to the guidelines (27% to 78%).
Other hospital-grade keyboards come with strong IP ratings because they are intended to be rinsed in sinks or moved to a dishwasher for cleaning. Conversely, Medigenic keyboards are intended to be cleaned right where they are used, saving valuable time for medical professionals. Simply press the disable button, wipe the surface with whichever cleaning agent you prefer, and resume typing. This can take place in less than ten seconds, as this short video demonstrates.
Hidden below the medical-grade silicone keyboard cover is a high-quality scissor-key keyboard with excellent tactile response and a 1M+ lifecycle specification. A light touch on the soft and flexible silicon cover is all that is needed to press the underlying key, providing a very similar feel to a standard keyboard. According to the UCLH study, 17 out of 20 end users found that they could touch type effectively with the Medigenic keyboard, compared to just 2 out of 20 when using a silicone elastomer keyboard with raised keys.
Developed in conjunction with the University College of London hospital, Medigenic is the standard keyboard in use across the entire NHS system in the United Kingdom. Click on the link above for the complete clinical study.
Winner of a 2009 Medical Design Excellence Award for its contribution to advancement in the design of medical products as it has proven to significantly reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections.
Over 8000 Medigenic keyboards and mice currently in use at the Mayo Clinic Medical Centers.
"Testing of the Medigenic keyboard in the medical surgical ICU at University College London Hospitals showed significant log reduction in bacterial contamination in the range of 0.5log-1.4log (71%-96%) at cleaning alert settings ranging from 1.5 to 12 hours."
Dr. Peter Wilson
Microbiologist UCLH
"Since the Medigenic keyboard was introduced, the nurses have had no complaints of typing errors. They rave about the ease of typing. The keyboards are easier to clean as they have a flat surface.
Barbara Everett
Director of Infection Control
Riverside Community Hospital
"Within UHA we use the rule that our employees disinfect the keyboard when they start their service. The keyboards are therefore cleaned at least three times a day with disinfecting wipes. It is important to us that disinfection takes very little time and effort."
Frank van der Laer
University Hospital Antwerp
