The user presses the stethoscope into the application window, and takes it back with a fresh disk cover; ready for a new, clean auscultation

The covers are stored in a Clean Cassette™ (approximately the size of a VHS tape) with a storage capacity of 400 disk covers. From their cleanroom production, the disk covers are housed in a controlled environment within the AseptiScope Clean Cassette, which is then placed in dispensers for application. Only after the cassettes are transported from the cleanroom to the dispenser are the covers available for use. A significant advantage that the DiskCover system offers is its user-friendliness and ease of operation. "With over 5.5 billion auscultations a year in the U.S alone, training every clinician to use the DiskCover system would be an untenable task,” adds Mader. AseptiScope tackles this issue by providing its brief, easy-to-follow instructions in a three-step procedure characterized as a “W.A.R.”on infection (an acronym for Wave, Apply, and Remove). The steps involve waving to activate the dispenser, evenly pressing the stethoscope diaphragm against the DiskCover, and finally, removing the instrument from the application window.

A Solution That Keeps the Pace with Clinicians

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires health practitioners to methodically disinfect their stethoscopes after every examination. Since microbes thrive at the rim of the diaphragm, the cleaning protocol requires the stethoscope to be cleaned for 60 seconds with iodine compounds and isopropyl alcohol. As one can fathom, this is a difficult guideline to follow with patients bustling through the clinicians’ doors by the minute. Studies show that only an abysmal 4 percent of healthcare facilities comply with this protocol, while others simply reuse stethoscopes on multiple patients. The simplicity of AseptiScope’s flagship DiskCover system directly addresses this massive gap in infection control by quickly providing a clean diaphragm in less than two seconds. It resolves technical issues associated with traditional cleaning procedures and improves worker efficiency by a wide margin. Some practitioners approach the compliance issue by using disposable stethoscopes. While this technique heavily contributes to the generation of medical waste, disposable stethoscopes are also often poorly manufactured with sub-par audibility. AseptiScope’s disk covers, on the other hand, are stored in a unit that has the footprint of a soap dispenser, while also maintaining the acoustic integrity of the stethoscope.

DiskCovers in a COVID-Afflicted World

The primary symptoms of the COVID-19 disease include respiratory and cardiac ailments, both of which are initially assessed with stethoscopes. Organizations have now realized the importance of proper stethoscope etiquette and are on the lookout for solutions that can help curb the spread of the pandemic. “The COVID-19 virus is a wake-up call to infection control, similar to how 9/11 impacted international security standards,” emphasizes Mader. AseptiScope strives to create and implement a portfolio of infection control products to keep both patients and healthcare workers safe. The company introduces the DiskCover System in late July and is already being evaluated in outpatient clinics, hospital intensive care units, and in cancer treatment centers, where immune compromised patients are at even higher risk for infection.