text: Stethoscope hygiene A legal consideration for cardiologists practicing in a new era of infection control COVID 19 The stethoscope is a tool cherished by the field of cardiology and ubiquitous throughout medicine However little consideration has been given to its safe usage regarding its potential for pathogenic contamination despite thorough evidence that stethoscopes can harbor pathogens that can be transmitted to patients upon contact The COVID 19 SARS COV 2 pandemic has led to increased infection control vigilance including toward the stethoscope as evidenced by a recent increase in literature highlighting stethoscope hygiene contamination A consequence of this increase in awareness is that stethoscopes may be implicated in medical malpractice lawsuits as a potential cause of healthcare associated infections HAIs While there is limited evidence demonstrating a direct connection between stethoscope contamination and HAIs malpractice lawsuits often do not require direct causative evidence Regardless efforts should be made to bolster stethoscope hygiene to not only mitigate patient harm but also prevent providers from potential medical legal conflicts The continued relevance and utility of the stethoscope as a rapid cost effective diagnostic tool needs to be appropriately balanced with increased hygiene performance Providers should anticipate increased scientific evidence and patient awareness regarding stethoscope contamination in the post COVID 19 era 