Medical cleaning, more so than any category of cleaning, requires knowledge, rigor, effectiveness and consistency. Unlike general office cleaning, there can be no ‘good enough’ or ‘we’ll clean it next time.’ Like general office cleaning, with medical cleaning, we want a facility that looks clean, however, with hospital cleaning and medical office cleaning, your building must be cleaned with health and safety being front and center. A high bacterial or viral load in any type of medical building presents a risk that is potentially far reaching. With the right medical cleaning company, you can help minimize these risks, protect patients and offer patients, their families and your staff the peace of mind that your facility is clean, safe and well-maintained. So what sets an experienced medical cleaning professional apart from the rest?
You might be wondering, “what is a hot spot or touch point and why should I care?” Hot spots and touch points are surfaces, objects or areas in your facility that receives a lot more traffic and are touched by many hands throughout the day. Some common hot spot include but aren’t limited to: computers, phones, light switches, door handles and stair rails. These everyday objects are often some of the most bacteria laden in your entire building. With so many different people touching them, they become a haven for pathogens to be dropped off and picked up by almost everyone in your facility. Targeting these areas when cleaning for health is a great way to reduce the overall bacterial load in your facility. This can keep patients healthy and and even limit illness and absenteeism among your staff.
Cleaning, especially in a healthcare facility, cannot be a quick spray of some all-purpose cleaner and a wipe. There is a science behind aseptic cleaning that requires the right chemicals used the right way to be both safe and effective. Any prospective medical cleaning company must have a detailed understanding of the scientific cleaning needed to properly sanitize and disinfect surfaces. This starts with using chemical cleaning solutions properly. For instance, each cleaner comes with its own manufacturer recommendations for use. This includes where it can be used, how much needs to be used, and the often overlooked dwell times. A chemical’s dwell time is how long it needs to sit, wet on a surface in order to effectively disinfect or sanitize the surface (yes, there is an important difference that your medical cleaning company should know). If your medical cleaning ‘professional’ doesn’t understand these important concepts, it is most certainly time to move on.
Solid medical cleaning practices don’t just affect your patients but your staff as well, a fact that is all too often overlooked. Poor safety practices are such an issue that the medical industry features one of the highest non-fatal illnesses and accident rates of any industry. Cleaning for health protects the people you are trying to help, but also the people that are helping them. High performing employees do not like working in a facility that is not adequately cared for. The cleaner and more welcoming your facility, the more likely you will attract, hire and retain the best people.
As you might expect, the medical industry has some of the most complex and stringent regulatory and compliance issues to consider when cleaning. This means that your medical cleaning partner needs to have equally robust and stringent training to make sure that they are consistently meeting the unique needs of your facility. This means any professional medical cleaning company should be meeting or exceeding the ISSA’s (International Sanitary Supply Association) and CDC’s (Center for Disease Control) guidelines when cleaning. Proper chemical usage, hazardous waste disposal and solid health practices are critical aspects of proper facility maintenance. Don’t put you, your staff or your patients at risk, make sure that you medical cleaning company actually knows what they are doing.
Here at Stathakis, we have over 30 years of industry experience and come prepared to work. We have extensive experience with medical facilities of all kinds. We understand what our healthcare customers need and how to deliver. If your facility needs a different level of care, reach out to us at 1-800-278-1884.