Health Care Facilities Should Be Places Of Health & Healing, Not Getting Sicker
The future of healthcare changes by the minute with technology informing nearly everything from the top down. Medical and hospital cleaning has become more critical as concerns about cleanliness, infection and patient satisfaction come to the forefront.
Your commercial cleaning company has a direct role in patient safety, satisfaction and even HCAHPS scores.
Healthcare Associated Infections have long been a concern in medical facilities but with practitioners seeing increasingly higher volumes of patients, managing rates of infection transmission are even more important.
Whether you manage a hospital, clinic, surgical center, or any other healthcare facility, you want to be seen as a place to receive care and get well and not a place to get sicker.
Medical Cleaning Requires A Specialist
In order to effectively tackle the newest strains of disease that find their way into medical facilities, your commercial cleaning company must be up to the job.
Just because a janitorial company wants your business does not mean they are worthy of it.
- Healthcare cleaning requires a higher level of training, knowledge and experience.
- General office cleaning experience is not enough for medical office cleaning requirements.
- Your provider must pursue training and systems specifically for hospitals, clinics, ambulatory centers and medical offices.
Medical Cleaning Requires More Than a Bucket & Mop
Healthcare cleaning services comes with its own unique requirements, risks, compliance issues and safety concerns.
If your prospective commercial cleaning company isn’t fully in tune and up to speed with the requirements of health care cleaning, they are putting you, your patients, staff and even their employees at risk.
- Healthcare-associated infections impact nearly 2 million people each year.
- A third of cases are preventable with proper infection control procedures.
- Flu seasons and viral surges further increase risk.
- General janitorial companies often provide only superficial cleaning not suitable for medical environments.
Certainly common illnesses like colds, flus and respiratory illnesses can spread in any facility where cleaning for health is not taken seriously, but in a medical setting, the risks and complications are far more serious.
Compliance Is Critical In Healthcare & Hospital Cleaning
Healthcare and hospital cleaning are an integral part of a healthy environment but perception and reputation are no less important.
The HCAHPS survey measures patient satisfaction, and cleanliness plays a major role. Between HIPPA, HCAHPS, OSHA, CDC recommendations, AORN recommendations, Blood Borne Pathogen training and other requirements, your medical cleaning company must fully understand what you're up against.
- Understanding compliance standards
- Supporting your facility’s accreditation goals
- Ensuring safe handling of pathogens
- Following proper disinfecting procedures
Medical Cleaning Requires More Knowledge & Higher Standards
Do prospective medical office cleaning companies understand the difference between clean, aseptic and sterile?
- Do they know correct application of disinfectants, sanitizers, detergents, virucides?
- Do they understand dwell times and PPE requirements?
- Do they use EPA-approved, hospital-grade disinfectants?
- Are they trained in terminal cleaning?
Terminal cleaning is used to minimize spread of infection-causing pathogens and reduce HAIs. This includes disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as remote controls, switches, telephones, handles, tables, computer terminals, and more.
Do Your Medical Janitorial Services Have Their Eye On the Future?
To serve your facility effectively, medical cleaning companies must be forward-thinking.
Certifications like CIMS help Facility Managers shortlist reliable providers.
- CIMS-certified companies follow industry best practices.
- They pursue training, innovation and high accountability.
- CIMS helps eliminate unqualified companies from consideration.
CIMS certification demonstrates mastery in critical areas and ensures readiness to meet the specific needs of medical facilities.
