Budget cuts in Chicago’s healthcare industry are often unavoidable. One of the first places they occur is in cleaning. However, reducing the budget in this area can be very risky in medical settings since cleaning directly affects patients’ health and safety. This blog looks at why professional medical cleaning is so important, what can happen when cleaning services are cut, and why investing in quality cleaning can actually save money in the long run
Contents
- 1 Why Medical Cleaning Matters
- 2 The Risks of Cutting Back on Cleaning
- 3 Why Chicago Healthcare Facilities Need Professional Medical Cleaning
- 4 Different Healthcare Facilities Cleaning
- 5 The Financial Argument: Why Professional Cleaning Saves Money
- 6 How to Choose the Right Medical Cleaning Service
- 7 Why Medical Cleaning Is a Smart Investment
Why Medical Cleaning Matters
Medical cleaning is more than just a cleaning service. Healthcare facilities need and require a much deeper clean than can be provided by a basic janitor to eliminate all bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants. Places like waiting room chairs and exam tables are considered high-touch areas that breed germs.
The Risks of Cutting Back on Cleaning
Anytime healthcare facilities try to cut costs by reducing cleaning services, they open themselves up to a variety of serious risks:
Infection Increase: Germs can survive on surfaces for days-on-end, therefore creating infection risks. With less cleaning, there are more germs, and with more germs, the infection rate would likely increase.
Loss of Patient Trust: A dirty healthcare facility makes patients wonder about the quality of care that they will receive from such a facility. Patient retention, especially in a city like Chicago with so much competition, calls for proper cleanliness.
Staff Health Risks: Medical staff are constantly exposed to every kind of pathogen. In the absence of thorough cleaning, health professionals are more likely to suffer from diseases themselves, which leads to spending more sick days away from work and low productivity.
Fines Imposed for Non-Compliance:
Non-compliance with healthcare cleaning may lead to fines imposed by government agencies like OSHA and the CDC, which may impose costly fines or even shutdowns in extreme cases.
Why Chicago Healthcare Facilities Need Professional Medical Cleaning
From the smallest clinic in Lincoln Park to the biggest hospital in the Loop, such healthcare facilities in Chicago service significant numbers of people. Cleaning is, therefore, very important, with so many people entering and leaving at any given moment. But here’s why hiring a professional medical cleaning service would be beneficial:
Specialized Knowledge:
Professional cleaners understand the specific needs of healthcare facilities. They pay much attention to high-touch areas while pursuing rigorous processes that minimize contamination.
Advanced Disinfectants:
The disinfectants used by professional medical cleaning services are high-grade, affording the capability to eradicate a broad range of pathogens. Those general cleaners just won’t get the job done.
Compliance with Regulations:
Professional cleaners understand current health and safety regulations that will keep Chicago healthcare facilities free of costly fines.
Different Healthcare Facilities Cleaning
Not all healthcare facilities have the same cleaning needs. The dental office that is located in Lakeview has much different needs compared to the surgical center found in Hyde Park. A professional cleaning service is able to modify how they clean, based on the specific needs of each facility:
Clinics: In extremely busy clinics, high-touch surfaces include door handles, counters, and equipment, which demand extra attention.
Urgent Care Centers: These centers see hundreds of patients daily, and deep cleaning of the examination rooms and waiting area is always a necessity.
Medical Offices: Many specialized clinics have specific cleaning needs; individualized cleaning plans must be implemented to ensure that all areas meet medical center standards.
The Financial Argument: Why Professional Cleaning Saves Money
While it may seem costly, hiring a professional medical cleaning service is normally cheaper in the long run:
Preventing Infections:
HAIs are expensive to treat, but they can be prevented with a good cleaning. By preventing such infections, a healthcare facility saves lots of money.
Reducing Sick Days:
The staff also fall prey to illness when the environment is dirty. A clean environment reduces such cases, therefore reducing absenteeism at work.
Avoid Fines:
Complying with cleaning standards for a healthcare facility will save from fines by the relevant regulating bodies, which may be very costly as opposed to paying professional cleaners.
How to Choose the Right Medical Cleaning Service
For facilities in Chicago, it is all about who can find the right partner in cleaning for themselves. What to look at in a professional medical cleaning service?
Medical Cleaning Experience:
If the cleaning service is accomplished in the field of healthcare cleaning, then that’s the best candidate for your facility.
Customized Cleaning Plans:
A provider who can offer customized cleaning to meet all the unique needs of your facility.
Commitment to Compliance:
A commitment towards understanding and abiding by all pertinent healthcare regulations.
High-Technology Equipment:
The best cleaning services have invested in HEPA-filter vacuums, UV disinfection, and other advanced equipment that ensure a deeper level of sanitation.
Why Medical Cleaning Is a Smart Investment
Cleanliness in healthcare is a need and not an option. Any kind of compromise on cleaning would naturally mean higher infection rates, erosion of trust among patients, and even regulatory problems for healthcare facilities in Chicago. Hiring a professional medical cleaning service will provide a much cleaner and safer environment for both the patients and employees.
If you are a Chicago healthcare provider, consider partnering with a professional medical cleaning service. This way, you can ensure that your facility maintains the highest possible standards of cleanliness, protecting patient health and saving money over the long term.
Contact Power Bright Cleaning
Ready to take your health facility to the next level with a medical-grade cleaning? You can reach Power Bright Cleaning at (312) 312-7866. For more information on specialized medical cleaning in Chicago, please visit our contact us page.