If you are responsible for overseeing the health and safety of your hospital, then keeping your facility clean is undoubtedly at the top of your priority list. While you might consider in-house hospital cleaning capabilities, hiring a professional hospital cleaning service offers many advantages when it comes to ensuring your hospital remains free from microbial threats and gets the most out of your facility’s budget.
Hospital born infections are both physically and economically devastating. Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) sicken nearly 2 million patients in the U.S. annually, of which 90,000 will likely die from their infection. This adds an additional $28-$45 billion in annual healthcare costs, depending on the year. As such, effective hospital cleaning services are imperative for ensuring the well-being of your patients, staff, visitors, and bottom line.
With that in mind, hiring professional hospital cleaning services can drastically improve the safety, reputation, and finances of your facility in multiple ways.
Let’s break down the top advantages to bringing on a professional janitorial service for your hospital cleaning needs.
Infection control to reduce HAIs
The foremost advantage of professional hospital cleaning services lies in their effectiveness in infection control.
As we mentioned, hospitals are potential hotbeds for pathogenic microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, many of which are responsible for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Some of the most notorious HAIs include the following:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infection: MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics. These bacteria can cause skin infections and can also infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, lungs, or urinary tract, especially in patients with weakened immune systems.Clostridium difficile (C. diff) Infection: This bacterial infection causes symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. It's associated with prolonged antibiotic use and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.
Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs): These are serious infections typically caused by bacteria or viruses that enter the bloodstream through a central line (a tube that healthcare providers often place in a large vein to give medications or collect blood for tests). Common pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci, and Candida species.
Influenza: This is a viral infection that primarily affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. In a hospital setting, the influenza virus can spread rapidly among patients with weakened immune systems and healthcare personnel, leading to outbreaks.
Candida Infections: These are caused by various species of Candida, a type of fungus. Candida can cause infections if it grows out of control, leading to conditions such as thrush or invasive candidiasis. This is particularly common in immunocompromised individuals and those with invasive devices like catheters or ventilators.
Professional cleaning services are skilled in using advanced methods and specialized products to sterilize high-touch surfaces.
This includes a complete arsenal of the most effective cleaners to target each surface and comprehensive checklists to ensure no area is left unsanitized.
The professional approach to infection control drastically reduces the risks of HAIs.
Compliance with regulations
Health care facilities are subject to stringent health and safety regulations set by bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Navigating the multitude of rules, standards, and guidelines set forth by these entities can be complex and time-consuming. Failure to adhere to these guidelines could result in significant penalties, including fines and potential closure of the facility on top of the health risks to patients, staff, and visitors.
This is where professional hospital cleaning services come into play. Professional hospital cleaners specialize in maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene in healthcare settings, and they are well-versed in CDC and OSHA regulations.
They train their staff to comply with these guidelines, use approved cleaning and disinfecting products, and follow appropriate protocols for different areas within the hospital, from operating rooms to patient wards.
Patient Satisfaction
The physical appearance and cleanliness of a hospital significantly affect a patient's perception of the care they receive. A meticulously clean environment signals quality care and professionalism, leading to increased patient satisfaction.
This improved patient experience can boost your hospital's reputation as a facility that takes hygiene seriously, which can translate to more funding, increased revenues, and a greater positive impact in the community.
A Cost-effective way to reduce hospital cleaning workload
By outsourcing cleaning tasks to professional services, you can ease the workload on your internal staff, allowing you to focus on your primary responsibility—providing excellent patient care and treatment.
Moreover, maintaining an in-house cleaning team is time-consuming and resource-intensive, considering the training and equipment needed to meet hospital-grade cleaning standards. Professional cleaning services come equipped with their trained staff and tools, saving you from managing these hassles.
With that said, bringing a professional cleaning service on board can quickly add up to more money saved in your hospital’s budget. This is, of course, on top of the reduced cost of dealing with HAIs that arise from improper cleaning methods.
Scaling hospital cleaning up or down in response to your needs
In times of emergency, such as during a disease outbreak, natural disaster, or unexpected influx of patients, professional cleaning services can quickly scale up their operations to assist in any short or long-term influx of traffic into your facility.
Additionally, if your facility is expanding on its own, hiring a professional hospital cleaning service that can scale alongside you means one less item you have to manage as you grow.
The bottom line on hiring a professional hospital cleaning service
While it may seem counterintuitive, hiring a professional cleaning service can actually be cost-effective in the short and long run.
When considering the cost of training and equipping an in-house cleaning team, potential penalties for non-compliance with regulations, and the financial implications of HAIs, the cost of professional cleaning services becomes justifiable.
Contact Pegasus today to find out how we can help you save money while keeping your hospital patients, staff, and visitors safe and free from illness and infection.
