Hospitals and doctors’ offices provide an ideal environment for germs to flourish. With staff and patients moving in and out of the facility regularly, viruses and germs can easily transmit from person to person. To make matters worse, patients are likely already in a state that makes them vulnerable to illness, and cross-contamination is a constant threat.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 25 U.S. hospital patients is diagnosed with at least one infection related to hospital care alone.
We owe it to both healthcare workers and patients to keep a squeaky-clean and safe healthcare facility.
Hiring a professional cleaning company is the best way to ensure your facility is always sanitized and safe for all patients and employees. Here are some of the most significant benefits.
Stop the Spread of Infections and Germs
COVID-19 amplified the importance of disinfection and hygiene, especially in places with high traffic, like hospitals. Properly disinfected and clean healthcare facilities are of the utmost importance to keep patients and others safe.
Hospitals are places where various infections, diseases, and viruses spread quickly if the proper precautions are not in place.
Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) is a broad term encompassing a wide range of infections that occur in hospital settings. They are usually caused by bacteria such as staphylococcus, escherichia coli, and clostridium difficile. The best way to keep these dangerous bacteria at bay is to make your facilities as clean as possible.
Other than keeping your facility safe, there is also a human factor that affects the risk of HCAI. Almost half of medical workers admit that they go to work even if they feel sick, making it five times more likely for patients to get an HCAI.
Employees need to abide by all necessary precautions — like hand washing, mask-wearing, and sanitizing. For everything else that concerns the hospital’s safety, a cleaning company can take care of it.
Don’t forget that patient rooms aren’t the only spaces that need to be incredibly clean. Bathrooms, reception areas, and offices need the same special attention, if not even more. A professional cleaning company knows what high-traffic areas to pay special attention to, what products to use, and how to appropriately disinfect floors and dispose of trash.
Impress Patients and Make Them Comfortable
Even though safety precedes aesthetics in healthcare facilities, we can’t deny that having a clean environment sets the stage for an excellent first impression. It also signals the level of safety and overall hygiene.
Dentist offices and med spas intrigue people with their clean and sleek appearance. While these private practices are often smaller and easier to clean, hospitals and other care facilities that house patients for extended periods need to be just as clean and comfortable.
A cleaning company can ensure every nook and cranny is clean, trash doesn’t pile up, and all high-touch areas are properly sanitized.
A professional healthcare cleaning team will focus on areas you might overlook, like windows, upholstery, and HVAC systems. They’ll also dust, power wash, and deep-clean floors. Many hospital cleaning and sanitizing methods require special machines and chemicals that a professional team will have at the ready.
Increase Employee Productivity
Your employees, doctors, and nurses need to be present and entirely focused on their patients. Suppose they need to clean after themselves all the time. In that case, they will quickly become tired, lose focus, and likely feel resentment for doing tasks that shouldn’t be their responsibility.
When your doctors and nurses can put their full attention on attending to patients instead of sweeping rooms, they can visit more patients in a day and be more productive than if they were working in a dirty and untidy environment.
A study by the Staples Corporation found that 94% of employees reported higher productivity in a clean and tidy environment, while 77% felt that the work they delivered was of a higher quality.
On the other hand, medical staff is not trained to use specialized cleaning chemicals and machines, which can be hazardous if not handled properly.
Keep a Clean Facility With the Right Professional Cleaning Partners
Commercial cleaning for healthcare facilities is a daunting undertaking and almost impossible to do without the help of trained professionals.
When choosing your cleaning company, do the research and check if they have the appropriate experience and knowledge to clean healthcare facilities.
Besides cleaning, which mostly involves removing visible dirt by hand or a machine, hospitals also require disinfection, which eliminates microorganisms and pathogens that can cause infection and illness.
A professional cleaning crew with experience in the medical field will know what areas to pay close attention to, what products to use, and how to provide an overall safe environment for patients and employees.
Usually, cleaning and sanitization will include:
- Pre-surgery and post-surgery aseptic cleaning
- Substerile areas including those with a steam sterilizer
- Staff changing rooms
- Disinfectant cleaning of all floors and surfaces
A healthcare cleaning company should also know how to prevent cross-contamination, follow OSHA protocols, use HEPA vacuum and filters, utilize proper trash disposal techniques, and use hospital-grade disinfectants and cleaners.
It is quite a lot, and it’s best to do more research before partnering up with a professional cleaning company.
Here are some tips to help you gauge the cost of these services so you can come to the best decision for your healthcare facility.