Hospital TV Remote Contamination Costs Healthcare Billions
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/04/07 - Updated: 2026/02/06
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Offbeat News - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This report addresses a frequently overlooked source of hospital-acquired infections that affects patients in medical facilities and assisted living centers nationwide. The information is particularly relevant for immunocompromised individuals, elderly patients, and those with disabilities who face heightened vulnerability to bacterial contamination during extended hospital stays. Research from the University of Arizona and clinical data from institutions like UCLA Medical Center demonstrate that conventional television remote controls carry dangerous pathogens including MRSA, with the textured surfaces and crevices of standard remotes creating ideal environments for bacterial growth. The findings carry significant weight because they come from established medical epidemiology programs and have prompted policy changes at top-rated hospitals, offering practical solutions that directly impact patient safety while addressing the broader challenge of controlling healthcare costs through infection prevention - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Clean TV Remotes Keep Health-care Costs Down
Countless studies have already proven that properly washing one's hands can have a dramatic effect on reducing hospital-acquired infections and hospitals throughout the country are now looking at other culprits.
According to RID (Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths) over thirty billion dollars is spent each year in the US on hospital-acquired infections. (Infections caught while hospitalized). These very preventable infections cost an additional $15,000.00 on average per patient infected and kill more people in this country than AIDS, breast cancer and car accidents combined.
Main Content
The rapidly rising cost of healthcare is a subject that has everyone talking - from the halls of Congress to the grocery line in the supermarket. Given the enormity of the expense involved, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that a small, inexpensive change can make any difference. However many hospitals and assisted living facilities are finding that just such a simple step can be both cost effective while improving patient safety, and maybe even saving lives.
One surprisingly major guilty party of contamination is the seemingly innocent, yet often-touched TV remote control.
Studies have shown television remotes can carry dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the deadly bacteria MRSA. Dr. David Peques who directs the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Epidemiology Program and Molecular Epidemiology says, "Items such as hospital television remotes are one huge potential reservoir of bacteria."
As these germ-harboring entities are being identified, medical facilities are seeking practical and effective solutions. Hospital officials are realizing the nooks and crannies that are part of standard TV remotes are an infection control nightmare.
Many assisted living facilities and leading hospitals including top 10 rated "America's Best Hospitals" UCLA Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center have been replacing the bacteria laden TV remote in high-risk areas and testing a product called the Clean Remote. This TV remote has a non-porous flat surface and has been clinically proven by the University of Arizona to be 99% cleaner than any other remote tested. The Clean Remote's surface eliminates areas where germs and bodily fluids can hide and begin to incubate. Additionally it is uniquely designed not only for easy cleaning, but the Clean Remote actually resists bacteria growth.
While the technology is new, a well-established Tampa, FL based firm, New Remotes Inc., manufactures the product. The company is the largest nationwide manufacturer of remote controls for the healthcare and hospitality industries.
With all eyes on Washington to find ways to control the costs of healthcare, perhaps small changes such as the Clean Remote can have a huge impact. Preventing the spread of illness in hospitals is not only important to patient care, it is just good business.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The connection between a simple household object and billions in healthcare expenditures illustrates how infection control often succeeds or fails in the details. Television remotes pass through countless hands daily in hospital rooms, yet they rarely receive the same sanitation attention as medical instruments or bed linens. What makes this issue particularly pressing for vulnerable populations is that hospital-acquired infections disproportionately affect those already weakened by illness, age, or disability - the very people seeking care and recovery. While technological solutions like non-porous remote designs offer promise, the broader lesson remains that effective infection control requires attention to every surface patients touch, not just the obviously medical ones. As healthcare systems continue grappling with rising costs, this research suggests that sometimes the most impactful changes aren't groundbreaking medical advances but rather thoughtful redesigns of everyday objects we've simply stopped questioning - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.