The best tip for engaging medical cleaning services is to know your facility inside and out. Generally, there are two different types of areas in a medical office building:
Clinical areas: These are the spaces that deal directly with patients. For example, waiting areas, exam rooms, labs, and the common areas of the building such as stairways, entryways, and restrooms
Non-Clinical areas: This includes areas where patients do not have access, such as office spaces or business offices.
Employing a general office cleaning service to take care of all this space will not only result in wasted time and money, it could also put patient health at risk. For example, no matter how many years of experience a cleaning company has, if they only specialize in conventional office cleaning, then they’ll overlook the important needs of your medical areas.
Follow these other simple tips before choosing the best medical cleaning services for your office:
Find a medical cleaning service that has at least five years experience in the field. Make sure they train their employees for work in a medical environment. Additional training with biohazard issues, such as blood borne pathogens, is required of medical cleaning services, and it’s a training program that not all janitorial companies provide.
Work out with your medical cleaning service the different elements and cleaning specifications needed to maintain your medical office. Determine in advance which areas need extra attention and which areas are relatively simple.
Don’t fall for low, competitive prices that you know won’t satisfactorily cover the cost of maintaining a sanitized medical environment. Remember that the job of your medical cleaning services is just as important as anyone else you trust to work with your patients.
Find a company that will work with you if your space changes. For instance, if you turn an exam room into a medical records area then it will require far less cleanings and your pricing will need to be adjusted.
Medical cleaning services generally cost more than typical office cleaning services because of the higher amount of restrooms and fixtures to clean. Make sure you work out with your cleaning company who is responsible for the cost of restroom supplies. Doctors and nurses wash their hands many times throughout the day, and it’s essential that their supplies be well stocked.
As a manager of a medical facility, your knowledge and understanding of the particular needs of your medical office is the greatest asset you have to finding the best medical cleaning services. When a medical office building is kept in pristine condition, it brings satisfaction to all the parties involved, including the patients who write your HCAHPS scores. Medical cleaning services with an inadequately trained staff and no understanding of the extensive cleaning required will leave your medical facility in shambles.