Editor's Opinion: Do doctors' neckties spread infection? - In a knot

Editor's Opinion: Do doctors' neckties spread infection? - In a knot - ModernMedicine

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In the never-ending quest for better medical hygiene, recent attention has focused on an unlikely source—the necktie. A Wall Street Journal piece from Nov. 20 spotlights a manufacturer that is offering ties with an antimicrobial coating, in light of the fact that many physicians prefer to wear neckties, which are rarely cleaned and which studies suggest often harbor dangerous germs when doctors wear them. For example, a 2004 study at the New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens found that nearly half of ties worn by doctors and other medical staff had bacteria that could cause illness.

An AMA committee is considering Resolution 720, first brought forth in June, which would advocate a new dress code for doctors based on the idea that neckties, long sleeves, and other articles of clothing and/or accessories can lead to the spread of infections. No recommendation has yet been made, as the committee is still seeking further information. But the mere fact that it's being considered must give many physicians pause. To what degree do patients care about their doctor's appearance? If a doctor comes into the examination room clad in a polo shirt, does the patient question his competence? What about other articles of clothing? Are there accessories that female doctors might wear that could also harbor bacteria and other germs?

April Strider, founder of Florida-based SafeSmart Inc., thinks she has the answer to at least the necktie question. Her antimicrobial-coated neckties even have medical themes. For example, her company offers one with a pattern based on the H1N1 virus. I was surprised to read her quote about that particular tie: "H1N1 is a really pretty virus." But a friend of mine who is a research scientist was not surprised at that quote. "Compared with any bacterial pathogen, the viruses are all very pretty," she told me.

Regardless, the debate shows a few things about the medical profession and Americans in general. It shows that researchers will always find new places to search for microbes; it shows that doctors will always care about their patients' image of them; and it shows that the American entrepreneurial spirit will always find a way to address any problem, as long as there's a way to make money on it. And if you ask me, these are all good things.

Steve Mullett
Editor-in-Chief
smullett@advanstar.com

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