Cleaning Steps Your Medical Office Should Take For Public Safety & Health
When patients think about a medical facility like a doctor’s office, it’s generally a given that it be clean. However, the experience of the pandemic has elevated this expectation to a new level. The idea that medical facilities need to be clean is very basic. And now, facilities need to not just be clean, but be cleaned and disinfected all the time. Not only that, there is a perception of clean that all public facilities need to consider. Let’s dig into a little bit more of how to make sure your medical facility commercial cleaning approach is on track!
Hotbed For Germs
Health and safety should be of the utmost importance to any doctor’s office. Because people may be coming in sick, your doctor’s office can be a place where germs spread easily if the proper cleaning protocols are not followed. Medical facilities are by nature, a place where germs show up at the front door, so we have to be extra diligent to not only clean, but also disinfect.
Proper Tools and Time
First, it is important to know that your doctor’s office has the right tools to do the job. This means using commercial grade disinfectants and the correct cleaning supplies needed to clean up hazardous spills. It is key that your doctor’s office is taking the time to properly clean the office from top to bottom regularly. They should also be following guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to ensure their facilities are cleaned in the correct manner. Working with a licensed commercial cleaning company, like AK Building Services, ensures that you’re covering your bases here.
What Should be Part of the Regular Cleaning Routine?
Think about those hidden places around a medical facility; they ALL need to be considered. For a doctor’s office to truly be clean, it is important that ALL areas are kept clean. This includes cleaning the exam rooms, particularly the exam table, chairs, sink, countertop and cabinets. These surfaces see a lot of use so they’ll need deep cleaning daily. The lobby should be routinely cleaned, paying particular attention to chairs and tables as well as the reception desk and toys in the waiting area. The restroom should also be cleaned at least once a day, with toilets, sinks and the floor disinfected (sometimes done multiple times a day with day porter services!). Other surfaces that should be cleaned regularly include doors and door knobs. Vents and baseboards need attention too.
Hand Sanitizer
To help contain or stop the spread of germs, hand sanitizer should be provided for staff and patients in the waiting area, restroom, break room and exam rooms.
Hazards
Your doctor’s office should have the equipment and cleaning solutions on hand to quickly clean up any hazards such as bodily fluids. Other protocols include having highly contagious patients enter through a separate door than the general public to ensure that the illness is not being spread in places like the waiting room. Quick check-in: does your office have a good plan for this in place?
Perception of Clean:
In light of the recent pandemic, patients are hyper-aware of cleaning protocols and germs. The best way to manage this is to stay ahead of it and control the story patients come to know about your office. What we mean by this is simple COMMUNICATION around what your safety and cleaning protocols are. Don’t leave it up to their imagination as to what you are, or are not, doing. By simply stating with emails, signage, signed forms at check-in, and more you can state what you’re doing with your cleaning process. This simple approach saves you extra effort, while also building deep trust with your patients!
Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Service
One of the best things a doctor’s office can do for the health and safety of their patients is to hire a commercial cleaning service that is trained and certified in cleaning medical facilities. These janitorial service companies have comprehensive training, certifications, and have the proper tools needed to get the job done right. This allows the doctor and their staff to focus on the needs of their patients but also gives their patients peace of mind that the facilities are clean and safe.
