The high standards of cleaning in healthcare facilities are relatively new in the history of healthcare. It is now universally accepted and understood that microbes and pathogens on various surfaces can wreak havoc when introduced to the body. Persons with weak immune systems and open wounds are especially susceptible to infection and disease. Commercial cleaning professionals of medical facilities need to be trained and certified in modern methods that meet today’s standards. Read on to learn more about the important role of commercial cleaning companies in the healthcare industry.
Visible Dirt
When a healthcare facility is visibly dirty, it’s unacceptable to patients, visitors, and staff. Daily cleaning is needed to make a good first impression on patients and keep them coming back when they need routine or urgent care. Regular deep cleanings of waiting rooms, lobbies, restrooms, and exam rooms are also needed to keep up appearances. Window cleaning, high dusting, upholstery cleaning, carpet cleaning, hard floor buffing and waxing, restroom stocking, deep cleanings, and other janitorial services will ensure the face of your brick-and-mortar establishment is looking its best.
Reducing Infection
When battling to prevent infection in patients, it can be hard to determine the right level of cleanliness that is needed. This is because susceptibility to infection ranges widely from person to person. Exogenous infections happen when bacteria present in our environment enter our bodies from a contaminated surface. This could be a contaminated device, surfaces in a room, a healthcare worker, or another patient. Decontamination from dangerous pathogens requires daily cleaning, UV light, and proper hygiene.
Meeting Today’s Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the standards for cleaning in medical facilities. There are specific rules and regulations in place that must be followed or there will be consequences for the healthcare facility. The facility may face substantial fines or even be shut down until the violations are remedied. Healthcare facilities that don’t put the OSHA safety standards first and foremost within their practices may also be held liable should staff or patients become seriously ill or injured.
Any commercial cleaning company you hire for your facility should be knowledgeable about all OSHA healthcare cleaning standards as well as the industry health and safety standards put forth by these reputable organizations and associations:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
- Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
If a commercial cleaning company isn’t trained and certified in today’s health and safety standards, they aren’t an appropriate choice for your healthcare facility.
Retain Your Staff
Healthcare workers are highly trained and have spent many years and made significant financial investments in securing their credentials. Physicians, nurses, and other specialists are unlikely to stay employed with a healthcare facility that does not maintain the appropriate healthcare cleaning standards. Unclean facilities are more likely to incur medical malpractice claims which can become lengthy and pricey situations for staff and the company. Healthcare facilities that maintain high standards of cleanliness are much more likely to increase the satisfaction of their workers and improve general productivity.
Protect Your Staff
Your healthcare receptionists, doctors, nurses, aids, and other staff are all exposed to countless infectious germs every day. When staff becomes sick and needs to take time off, schedules are disrupted, patients’ visits are delayed, and revenue is lost. Expert healthcare cleaning professionals and premium medical cleaning products are barriers that help to protect your staff from contracting serious and possibly even deadly infections. If your staff is constantly using up sick days, consider the positive benefits of hiring a high-quality commercial cleaning company to help prevent the spread of germs and diseases among your workers.
Top Medical Cleaning Products and Processes
When you work with an experienced commercial healthcare cleaning company like Empire Fresh Cleaning, you can expect the team to use the top medical cleaning products and processes for the industry. Our professionals use hospital-grade disinfectants that kill 99.9% of bacteria and germs. Our HEPA vacuums suck up and trap 99% of dust and other airborne particles like common allergens which improve the air quality of your healthcare facility. Color-coded cleaning cloths help prevent cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria while trapping dirt and germs. Our specialized no-dip mops clean floors without reusing dirty mop water. With the use of the proper medical cleaning products and techniques, your healthcare facility will be prepared to tackle infectious diseases and more.
Cleaning Medical Facilities of All Types
Empire Fresh Cleaning has worked with many types of healthcare facilities and has the unique knowledge required for disinfecting these specialty services.
- Hospitals — Hospitals see a very vulnerable part of the population. Illness and infection are easy to spread among patients, visitors, and staff. Appropriate healthcare cleaning is needed daily to cut through dirt, germs, and pathogens.
- Urgent care clinics — The small waiting rooms of urgent care clinics are often filled with the sounds of sneezes and coughs. The reduction of airborne pathogens is essential to keep staff and patients healthy in a high-risk environment.
- Pediatric offices — Parents want the best for their children when choosing a pediatrician. They will look for offices that are visibly clean with a great reputation. Hospital-grade disinfectants also help cut the germs that are spread by little ones who don’t always have the best hygiene practices.
- Day surgery centers — We follow the rigorous healthcare cleaning standards that are required for operating facilities.
- Dialysis centers — Patients entering dialysis centers are often at a higher risk of contracting infections. Regular disinfecting with high-quality medical cleaning products is needed to protect patients.
- Veterinarians, dentists offices, and others
High standards of cleaning medical facilities must be upheld for the well-being and safety of everyone. Empire Fresh Cleaning is a premiere healthcare cleaning company in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can trust our certified professionals to get the job done right every time. Call today for a free consultation.