HCAHPS, HAIs, CDC, AORN & Other Fun Acronyms

Medical and hospital cleaning has become significantly more complex in the 21st Century. If your healthcare cleaning company isn’t equipped to meet modern demands, patient safety, staff confidence, HCAHPS scores, and your overall reputation can suffer.

Healthcare facilities today are seeing higher patient volumes, and while we know more about infection transmission than ever before, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) have become a major point of concern. Hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, providers, and even patients now closely monitor how well facilities prevent infection.

In 2000 alone, over 100,000 people died from HAIs—nearly 75% of which were considered preventable. As many facilities are now required to publish infection rates, patients and families are paying attention. Cleanliness is no longer cosmetic—it’s a critical factor in choosing a provider.

Do not let inadequate medical cleaning put patients, staff, or your reputation at risk.

Finding a Medical Cleaning Company That’s Truly Qualified—Not Just Interested in Your Business

Hospital cleaning and medical cleaning services require far more than general office cleaning skills. While many janitorial companies want to enter the medical market, only those with proper training, systems, and compliance knowledge can safely service hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory centers.

As new pathogens and more resistant viruses emerge, your building maintenance provider must be prepared—not simply willing—to meet the challenge.

How Is Hospital Cleaning More Challenging?

Healthcare-associated infections impact nearly 2 million people each year. A large percentage of these cases are preventable when proper infection control procedures are followed.

In an office setting, missed cleaning details may result in an unpleasant environment or the spread of common illnesses. In a hospital, poor cleaning can lead to severe complications—or even loss of life.

Even in medical office cleaning, compliance and safety are non-negotiable. Healthcare facilities have unique hazards, protocols, and regulations. If your Detroit commercial cleaning company doesn’t understand these requirements, they jeopardize:

• patient safety,
• staff safety,
• regulatory compliance,
• and your reputation.

Does Your Medical Cleaning Company Understand Healthcare Regulations?

The HCAHPS survey places real weight on environmental cleanliness, and poor scores can directly affect reimbursements.

Between HIPAA, HCAHPS, OSHA, CDC guidance, AORN best practices, and Bloodborne Pathogen training requirements, your medical cleaning provider must be fully aligned with regulatory and infection-control standards.

Your healthcare cleaning company should understand:

• basic microbiology,
• proper chemical usage,
• aseptic cleaning procedures,
• disinfection protocols,
• how to reduce HAIs through best practices.

Medical Facility Cleaning Standards Are Different—for Good Reason

True healthcare cleaning requires an understanding of aseptic technique, critical vs. non-critical cleaning, disinfectant dwell times, EPA-registered products, PPE requirements, and cleaning for health—not appearance.

Terminal cleaning is also essential for reducing pathogens on high-touch surfaces such as:

• light switches,
• remote controls,
• railings,
• tables,
• computer terminals,
• door handles.

These procedures directly impact infection control outcomes. There is no room for guesswork.

Are Your Janitorial Services Operating at a 21st-Century Standard?

Modern healthcare environments demand that janitorial companies fully understand their role in preventing the spread of HAIs. Whether you manage a hospital, outpatient facility, medical office, or surgical center, your cleaning provider must be firmly grounded in:

• current science,
• regulatory expectations,
• infection-control best practices.

Choosing a qualified medical cleaning provider requires deeper due diligence than general office cleaning. Ask for documentation of training programs, healthcare-specific certifications, and evidence of competency.

Let Professional Certifications Like CIMS Protect You from Substandard Providers

Just as clinicians gain certifications to demonstrate competency, custodial and medical cleaning companies can earn industry credentials—most notably the CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard).

CIMS certification signals:

• mastery of industry best practices,
• robust systems and processes,
• commitment to training and innovation,
• quality management and accountability.

For Facility Managers, CIMS is a shortcut to identifying cleaning contractors who already meet the standards needed for safe, compliant, and effective healthcare cleaning.

CIMS allows you to skip the guesswork and move directly to evaluating qualified providers with the confidence that they operate at a higher, proven level.