Stethoscope Contamination, Hygiene, and The Automation of Aseptic Technique

Over the past 25 years the data has surged in the cited literature regarding the contribution of the stethoscope diaphragm to pathogen transmission in healthcare delivery.  Described commonly as “The Clinicians’ Third Hand”, the stethoscope touches US patients >5 billion times a year.  Over the past 5 years, experts, professional associations, and the CDC have called on elevating stethoscope hygiene between patients as an important step in reducing patient exposure to MDRO’s and contaminants during the course of care. 

The data supporting the need for effective hygiene will be reviewed, along with the efficacy, safety, and compliance associated with various forms of stethoscope hygiene.  New methods of stethoscope hygiene will be presented with the evidence of efficacy, safety, clinical acceptance, patient satisfaction, outcomes impact, and return on investment.

SPEAKER: Scott Mader, Clinical Innovation Expert, CEO and Founder

BIO: Over his 35-year career, Scott Mader has launched transformative clinical innovation in Pharmaceutical, In Vitro Diagnostics, and Medical Device categories. In the 90’s, Mader spearheaded the launch of Glucophage (Metformin), a transformative and foundational treatment for type 2 diabetes. In the early 2000’s, Mader drove the meteoric growth of Point of Care BNP biomarker testing into acute care guidelines, resulting in a $1.6B acquisition of San Diego’s Biosite Diagnostics in 2007. His consulting firm, CLINDEVOR 360, successfully commercialized prototypic innovation into explosive nascent markets including lateral flow immunoassays, GLP-1 agonists, TZD’s, and the emergence of high sensitivity Troponin POC testing. Today, Mader is setting new infection control standards by automating aseptic technique as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AseptiScope, a Medical Technology Start-Up in San Diego, CA