Over 1.7 million infections occur within medical facilities, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the World Health Organisation reporting that 100,000 out of that number die every year from hospital-acquired infections. The intense cleaning nature of medical office cleaning comes with many realities that can be overlooked, prior to undertaking the process, especially as a janitorial service.
In this article, five harsh realities of medical office cleaning are listed below as guide points before you contract any cleaning service for your facility.
1.Cleaning Monitoring & Processes
Starting with some harsh statistics, a survey was conducted to study how the cleanliness of medical offices is monitored. According to the Journal of Hospital Infection, over 47% of all respondents admitted they relied solely on visual monitoring to assess the cleanliness and cleaning needs of medical offices.
A further study disclosed that the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces is below standard, with up to 50% of surfaces being cleaned by a simple wipe by cleaners.
2. Low prices bring sub-par services
When scouting for a janitorial cleaning service to undertake medical office cleaning within your facility, an in-depth study must be done on the bids you receive, especially regarding the price points offered by prospective companies. When a bid looks too good to be true, chances are it is.
Medical office cleaning differs greatly from conventional office cleaning; thus, skipping cleaning steps or cutting corners in a bid to save money should be discouraged. Invest in a company that delivers complete disinfection of all spaces and surfaces, even if it comes at an extra cost.
3. Years of experience don’t equate to knowledge
As mentioned earlier, conventional office cleaning has its unique requirements, one of which is years of practice. Medical office cleaning, on the other hand, requires knowledge of specialized cleaning procedures.
The janitorial service you employ should have staff that have gone through medical awareness training. This study focuses on the best ways to keep everyone safe when working around blood-borne pathogens and sharp objects. All cleaning practices undertaken within the medical offices should also be based on the existing standards set by the Centers for Disease Control.
4. Cleaning alone doesn’t improve your facility’s image
While cleaning is a major method of upholding professionalism within any facility, it isn’t the only thing that aids: consider cutting down on all clutter as well. Decluttering is imperative within medical offices, as it enables employees to reach their highest productive standards, which ultimately enhances patient satisfaction.
Medical offices on their own must have a cleaning or decluttering system that reduces cross-contamination. Most often, these procedures and systems do not come at any additional cost.
5. Medical office cleaning enhances your image
When we fall ill, we are initially hesitant to visit medical facilities; why? Most often, it is because hospitals make us feel sicker psychologically. Studies show that the poor conditions in hospitals, like filthy environments, leave a negative impression on patients outside of the transfer of infections.
To keep your medical facility in an atmosphere that encourages healing, it is best to hire a janitorial service that values their work, understands the relevant procedures, and lastly, can maintain the medical atmosphere to what patients expect.
Cleaning plays a vital role in all facilities. The stakes, however, are higher for the medical environment: the health and lives of many are in danger if cleaning isn’t done properly. This is where medical office cleaning comes in: it takes the practice of tidying up and emptying trash cans to a higher, highly sanitary level.
If you have doubts about the current cleaning routine or policies utilized by your existing janitorial company, you can contact Distinct Cleaning Services and Solutions. We can guarantee that we will maintain optimal levels of cleanliness while beating all existing statistics.
Resources:
Here are additional resources for you to increase your janitorial knowledge further and stay updated on new trends in facility maintenance.
Distinct Cleaning News and Media Post: Easy to read blog articles on various topics and trends in the commercial janitorial space.
Request An In-Person Appointment Use this link to request an appointment with a representative from our sales team to discuss your facility’s cleaning needs.
Janitorial Coaching Hub: The goal of the Janitorial Coaching Hub is to help cleaning business owners build, grow, and establish their cleaning companies by providing them with the tools to be successful. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to receive this valuable information in real-time.
