Detroit Michigan Janitorial & Cleaning Services Blog

The 5 Harsh Realities of Medical Office Cleaning Services

Written by Chris Stathakis | Mon, Sep 10, 2012 @ 11:18 AM

When you’re working in a medical environment, cleaning up is a serious job. Medical cleaning services require a lot more than just tidying up and emptying trash cans. The medical office cleaning services you engage in are just as important as your doctors and nurses. Consider these five points before you make any decisions in contracting with a cleaning service for your medical facility.


1. If a bid seems too good to be true, then it most likely is. Price reduction equals service reduction. Unscrupulous cleaning companies have no problem cutting corners and skipping steps in disinfecting if it saves them money. For the same reason people don’t seek out cheap surgery, one doesn’t invest in cheap medical office cleaning services. 

A low bid can be an indicator that a company isn’t paying its employees a competitive wage. Contracts are written for years at a time, and it’s important that a cleaning company takes steps to retain high-value employees. 
 
2. Medical office cleaning services are not the same as conventional office cleaning services.  A company boasting years of office cleaning experience, will be in over their heads. A company with only office cleaning experience won’t be able to properly keep your healthcare facility clean.

Medical cleaning requires specialized cleaning procedures. One example is medical awareness training that focuses on keeping everyone safe when working around sharps and blood-borne pathogens. They should employ the best cleaning practices when cleaning and disinfecting based on the standards set by the centers for disease control.

3. The cleanliness of your medical facility reflects strongly on your image. People who are sick hate to leave their home, and creating an inviting atmosphere for your patients is essential. If your medical office cleaning services are not maintaining a pristine state of cleanliness, then your patients won’t bother returning.

4. A sanitized space isn’t the only thing that keeps a medical office looking professional. Cutting down on clutter is also important. Clutter can get in the way of your employees from reaching their highest standards and patient satisfaction. For example, patients and staff who have to use a dirty waiting room, will not produce the best medical outcomes.

A healthy environment that has a cleaning system in place will prevent the spread of disease and reduce cross contamination. Here at Stathakis we’ve worked in medical office facilities that have undergone a de-cluttering procedure. As a result, it became an astoundingly professional looking office. Best of all, it came at no additional cost.

5. Make sure that your current or potential medical office cleaning services performs extensive background checks on all of their employees. This should include criminal background checks and drug testing. Identity theft is a common problem and is frequently the result of disgruntled, unscreened cleaning employees.

The quality of a cleaning service’s employees will determine the quality of the service that they provide. It’s important to review a company’s hiring practices and how it treats its employees. If its employees aren’t compensated well, it’s a good sign that they aren’t hiring from a good pool of candidates.