A reminder about cell phones and hospitals

I thought it was a known fact that cell phones were a no-no in hospitals, but everytime I go to one, I see a number of people chatting on their cell phones or texting like mad. What's the deal? Is it ok to use your cell phone in a hospital or not?

The answer is not, though there currently aren't any national guidelines concerning this issue. Wireless devices can negatively interfere with the machinery at hospitals and shouldn't be used. Devices that use Wifi, GPRS or some other method to get onto the Internet at the worst offenders, and while normal cell phones might be ok to use in some hospitals, callers should certainly avoid using them in ICU, operating or emergency units.