How to Clean Medical Computers (Tips & Best Practices)

Cleaning computers and related accessories often in a medical environment is extremely important to reduce the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). According to the Center for Disease Control, there are 1.7 million HAIs every year, which is approximately 5% of the patients admitted to hospitals. These infections amount to $28-$33 million annually in unnecessary costs within the healthcare sector. 

Some best practices should be implemented and exercised regularly to help minimize the spread of infectious diseases in hospitals. Knowing how to clean and disinfect a PC and any accessories helps ensure staff and patients’ safety while maintaining a clean environment. In a medical environment, it can make a big difference. 

Basic Cleaning for a Medical Computer

In a medical setting, you should first consider having a medical-grade computer and monitor to regularly clean and disinfect the equipment. This way, you don’t have to worry about damaging the unit.

Devices explicitly designed to handle the wear and tear of regular cleaning by being fanless, water-resistant, and dustproof are essential. With typical, non-medical grade computers, the equipment will likely break down through regular cleaning as the compounds in disinfectants damage the units over time. Additionally, computers that use fans to keep the components at the optimal operating temperature circulate dust in the environment. These medical-grade devices use fanless cooling methods. 

Whether a surface appears dirty, it should still be cleaned regularly, especially in high-touch areas (mouse, keyboard, or computer cart handles, for example). Good hand hygiene is also crucial in maintaining a clean work environment and limiting the spread of HAIs. Staff should use hand disinfectants before and after using a commonly shared computer, as well as take off or change their gloves. 

The computer, cart, keyboard, mouse, and other connected accessories should be cleaned regularly. This can be done by simply wiping down the equipment with a slightly damp rag to remove any visible signs of dirt. You should also unplug the keyboard, turn it over, and shake it to be sure no small particles are stuck in the keys. These basic cleaning procedures should be able to remove any dirt or other grime that may have gotten onto the equipment; however, it won’t disinfect it, which is an essential additional step covered below. 

Disinfecting a Medical Computer and Equipment

When disinfecting a medical computer and any connected accessories, you can use recommended chemical agents that vary by manufacturer based on the device’s tolerance. Whatever you use to clean a medical computer should be approved for use on the computer housing and the monitor glass. 

So, after applying the disinfectant to a pre-moistened cleaning towel, wipe down the computer’s front, rear, and edges. It is essential to clean the unit thoroughly on all sides rather than just pieces of the computer you believe to be touched the most, whether they appear dirty or not. After thoroughly cleaning the unit, the disinfectant may take a minute to evaporate, but the unit should be relatively dry to the touch. 

A similar procedure should be done with medical tablets as long as they are medical grade and designed to handle the wear and tear of regular disinfecting and washing. 

If the computer is on a medical cart or workstation on wheels, you must also take the same care in cleaning the cart itself. Pay particular attention to high-touch areas of the equipment, like the handles of the cart, though the entire unit should be thoroughly disinfected regularly. 

Though they may seem tedious, these simple procedures reduce the spread of HAIs and create a safer environment for staff and patients. 

Closing Thoughts

Given the effect of HAIs, great care should be given to the cleaning and disinfecting of medical computers as well as other related accessories. Having thorough procedures and practices can help dramatically reduce the transfer of infectious diseases in a hospital or clinical environment. Through taking these simple steps, healthcare environments can be made safer for both staff and patients. 

If you want to learn more about medical-grade computers, monitors, and tablets designed specifically for the healthcare field, contact an expert at Cybernet today. These units can handle the wear and tear of regular disinfecting while also helping to maintain a cleaner environment with fanless designs. 

With nearly 30 years of experience providing the highest quality computers and monitors for medical, industrial, and enterprise applications, the staff at Cybernet can guide you to the best technology solutions customized to suit your specific needs. 

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