A medical office faces a variety of challenges and differences from other offices when it comes to cleaning. Patients expect a clean and sanitary environment from the minute they walk in the door. A general office cleaning including standard tasks is not sufficient for the medical office. A janitorial service must be qualified to make sure that certain steps are taken to insure safety, cleanliness and privacy. Here are a few important points:
Quality of the cleaning is of utmost importance. The janitorial team must be able to demonstrate exceptional quality and consistency in their work. The cleaning team must be properly trained and have knowledge of the standards and regulations consistent with the important work they do in this medical environment.
Privacy and adherence to HIPPA guidelines by all cleaning employees keeps the patients and staff safe and confident as well as ensures that the office is complying with regulation.
Safety training and OSHA regulations must be followed. All cleaning employees must be trained in these guidelines and laws and adhere strictly to them. A MATERIALS DATA SHEET should be available and used for information on any chemical or cleaner that may be used. This Data Sheet information provides a description of the product, precautionary measures, health effects and hazards.
Touch areas run the greatest risk of spreading disease. Those areas are doorknobs, handles, phones, keyboards and light switches, to name a few. Each of these areas must be disinfected daily to prevent illnesses including MRSA and Staphylococcus (Staph). These bacteria are spread by having direct contact with an infected person or by using or touching a contaminated object.
Using the correct tools and chemicals for the job is of utmost importance in a medical environment. Within the medical office, there are clinical areas where most of the contact with the patient happens, such as waiting rooms, exam rooms, etc., and non-clinical areas that are mostly comprised of offices and staff related rooms. Trained cleaning teams will know which chemicals and tools to use for all of the areas within the office.
Inspections from the management of your janitorial company insures that the quality and consistency of the work is high. Make sure that the management of the janitorial company is available and that there is good communication between the medical office staff, the cleaners and the management of the company.
Trust is important in any industry, but when dealing with people’s health, it seems to be even that more essential. We at MTO Janitorial endeavor to gain and keep our clients trust by providing quality cleaning for medical offices throughout the Quad Cities area. QCBN
By Lucy Leyva
For additional information on medical office cleaning or to schedule a visit with our owner for a cleaning quote, please contact MTO JANITORIAL at 928-772-0004 or visit us at MTOJanitorial.com.
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