Special cables and outlets to reduce the risk of infection in hospitals
R&M, the global Swiss developer and provider of cabling systems for 
top-quality and highly efficient network infrastructures, is launching a special line for health institutions. The new outlets and patch cords have antibacterial properties. Their plastic parts are resistant to germs and bacteria in compliance with ISO 22196. The R&MhealthLine range is suitable for patient rooms and similar deployment areas which have an inherent risk of infection.
“According to the WHO around 16 million people die every year from infections contracted in hospitals. We want to make a contribution to reducing the risk of infection,” says Matthias Gerber, R&M Market Manager LAN Cabling. “With the installation of R&MhealthLine, clinics can further improve their risk management in the IT area,”he explains.
Properties protecting against the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were successfully demonstrated in laboratory tests.
R&MhealthLine offers the first consistent and complete range for network equipment in environments reserved for patients and people requiring care. It comprises outlets with RJ45 sockets, shielded and unshielded patch cords for connecting computers, multimedia, communication and medical devices, as well as shutters and coding elements from the R&M security system. R&MhealthLine products are just as easy to install and operate as standard products. They are compatible with the modular cabling system R&Mfreenet that covers all areas of structured building cabling.
The relevant standards require greater protection for operating theaters. Medical devices and data networks have to be galvanically isolated at such places of use to protect patients from any possible over voltages. R&M has developed a solution for this, too: the maintenance-free R&MsafeLine network isolation module. It can be installed in existing LAN outlets and takes care of galvanic isolation. That saves costly solutions in terms of medical technology and ensures uninterrupted data transmission. R&MsafeLine is not dependent on a particular device, does not require any software or its own power supply, and is compatible with the cabling system R&Mfreenet.
Furthermore, clinics have to ensure that the operation of medical, administrative and multimedia applications is clearly separated. The R&M security system supports this goal with color coding, shutters and labels to mark the different connections. The highest level of the security system prevents misuse or errors when cables are unplugged or plugged in through mechanical locks for LAN connectors. Only authorized people can open the locks. This means clinics can take physical steps to ensure that data connections are not interrupted unintentionally or negligently.
Internationally, R&M enjoys an excellent reputation as a network outfitter of clinics and healthcare institutions. The list of customers ranges from the university clinic Hamburg Eppendorf through the Danish super-hospital Aarhus and the largest Eastern European medical data center in Wroclaw to Sakra World Hospital in Bangalore.
