In 2002—less than 20 years ago—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that healthcare-associated infections accounted for 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths in a single year.
Still today, about one in 31 hospitalized patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI), according to the CDC.
It’s no secret that medical facilities, hospitals and physicians’ offices can harbor germs that can cause infections and illness. One of the most important things you can do to keep your patients safe?
Ensure your building is cleaned appropriately by a team of professionals equipped to handle medical facilities.
To keep your patients as safe as possible, you need a professional medical cleaning service that’s up to the task.
Medical Cleaning Services Require Attention to Detail Where It Counts
We like to think that when we make an appointment with our family doctor or visit a loved one in the hospital, that our healthcare facilities are pristine and germ-free, but without the right attention and care from an expert medical cleaning service, frequent touchpoints and other hard surfaces can spread disease like wildfire.
Here’s some startling information on germs that are found in hospitals:
- In one study of bacteria and viruses found in hospitals, C. difficile, which causes an estimated 15,000 deaths in the U.S. annually, was found on 53 percent of patient-occupied hospital room floors.
- Nine percent of slip socks and 17 percent of floors were found to be contaminated with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
- Eight-five percent of slip socks were found to be contaminated with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
Because the floors and other touchpoints in these medical facilities carry and spread so many germs, medical facilities need to hire a cleaning service that is aware of where germs lurk and how to handle them.
A list of frequent touchpoints that need to be cleaned in hospitals and medical offices might start out like any other office: elevator buttons, phones, doorknobs and computer keyboards. But in a medical setting, other touchpoints will require special attention, including:
- Bed rails.
- Bed frames.
- Exam tables.
- Moveable lamps.
- Tray tables.
- Bedside tables.
- Handles.
- IV poles.
- Blood pressure cuffs.
Basic commercial cleaning companies aren’t trained on which crucial, high-touch surfaces need to be cleaned regularly to slow the spread of germs. A well-informed, meticulous medical cleaning service like S&G Cleaning will pay attention to these touchpoints—and all the other surfaces that need attention too.
Healthcare Cleaning Services and Medical Compliance
Is your cleaning staff apprised of the latest guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting healthcare facilities?
There are all kinds of recommendations and regulations when it comes to keeping a medical facility clean. What kinds of things must be taken into account?
- Cleaning for bloodborne pathogens
- Cleaning contaminated work environments
- Disinfection and sterilization in healthcare facilities
- Cleaning products approved by the CDC for disinfection
One wrong step in cleaning medical facilities can prove disastrous, which is why your medical cleaning service needs to be well versed in health regulations. Between the CDC, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are countless regulations to contend with.
If your current cleaning company doesn’t understand the unique requirements that accompany healthcare cleaning, they may not know the proper products and necessary systems to correctly clean your facility. You need a specialized commercial cleaning company that has the experience to handle your medical cleaning services, one that has an understanding of what needs to be done.
Outsource Your Medical Cleaning to Knowledgeable Professionals
Why outsource the cleaning of your medical facility to a commercial cleaning company? There is a myriad of reasons, including the following:
- Hiring an in-house cleaning staff means you have to train each team member to adhere to the unbending standards of medical cleaning. A commercial medical cleaning service will train its staff so you don’t have to.
- Commercial medical cleaning companies have years of experience, access to the right cleaning products and a dedicated team available to care for your facility at a moment’s notice. Their reputations are on the line too, so they’ll work hard to protect your facility and your reputation.
- You’ll save money when you hire a commercial firm for your medical cleaning services. You don’t have to pay to hire, train or run your cleaning service, and your facility never will miss an important cleaning because a cleaning technician calls in sick.
When you need commercial sanitizing services to keep your medical office running, is your cleaning service prepared? An in-house cleaning company may not have the tools, sanitizing products and training to adequately clean and disinfect your medical office in compliance with CDC infection control guidance for healthcare professionals.
On the other hand? Commercial medical cleaning services will have the right products to disinfect your office—and they’ll know how to use them.
Now more than ever, it’s absolutely vital to have a professional medical cleaning service that understands the need for thorough, careful cleaning of your entire healthcare facility. Don’t risk the health and wellbeing of your patients and your practice by gambling with lesser medical cleaning companies in New Jersey that are inexperienced or bogged down with too many clients to manage. Find a cleaning service you can trust.
At S&G Cleaning Services, we have the expertise, the tools and the right team of professionals to mitigate the spread of germs in your medical facility and ensure your building is as safe as possible for your staff and your patients.
Don’t take us at our word alone; listen to the statements of our happy, satisfied clients. We’re here to care for your practice so you can care for others. Let’s get started. Request a free quote today.
