BlackBerry may soon develop a special bacteria-free smartphone that could be used safely inside hospitals. John Chen, BlackBerry's CEO, announced a wide-reaching project for health care workers while visiting a hospital north of Toronto. BlackBerry is working with ThoughtWire and Cisco Systems to provide nurses and doctors in one of Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital's units a new messaging and alert system.

Chen says the introduction of a bacteria-free smartphone could leave "health care workers...worried about one less thing to wipe down." BlackBerry is not necessarily working on the phone right now but it seems plans to develop it do exist.

Hospital-acquired infections kill many people each year and eliminating more bacteria inside hospitals could make them safer.