Why Healthcare Cleaning Best Practices Matter
If you aren’t following these healthcare cleaning best practices, medical offices can become breeding grounds for germs and increase the risk of infection.
A History of Antibiotics
The first antibiotic was discovered in 1928 when Dr. Alexander Fleming returned from his vacation to find that the mold growing in his petri dish. Staphylococcus bacteria seemed to be preventing the spread of the bacteria.
It would be another 10 years before adequate research would be performed to develop penicillin. Human trials on the drug did not begin until 1941, and it was only after research and production were moved to the United States that pharmaceutical companies were finally able to produce enough penicillin to benefit the U.S. military in 1943. In 1946, penicillin was finally made available for use in England. The development of this antibiotic has saved countless lives.
Unfortunately, bacteria evolve constantly and have become increasingly resistant to penicillin. Researchers are laboring to find the next solution that will be strong enough to counteract dangerous and aggressive microorganisms.
Why Is This Important for Healthcare Cleaning?
Antibiotics are employed for a myriad of ailments and illnesses. As the body and different bacterias begin to build a higher tolerance for the treatment, threats of infections can become increasingly risky, similar to the time before penicillin was initially developed.
The danger makes it crucial that medical offices take suitable measures to keep their spaces clean in order to prevent the spread of disease. There are many ways to reduce the spread of germs, including proper hand washing, cleaning, and disinfecting.
Are Medical Offices Clean?
When individuals show up for a medical appointment, whether for a physical, check-ups, routine testing, or complaints and advice about various concerns and ailments, they assume the space will support them in obtaining better health. This assumption, though reasonable, is not necessarily accurate.
How Medical Offices Can Make You Sick
Evidence has shown that 5 in 10 pediatric medical office waiting rooms contain bacteria that may cause pneumonia or lead to skin infections. In addition, medical offices tend to have more contagious and vigorous bacteria than other public settings.
This is due to how constantly medical clinics work with the ailing individuals and a variety of medications. They can be a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant microbial strains.
Common Concerns About Illnesses Contracted in Medical Offices and Hospitals
The CDC found that “Every year an estimated 648,000 people in the U.S. develop infections during a hospital stay, and about 75,000 die.” A huge concern for individuals that contract such illnesses focuses on the likelihood that your infection could be a drug-resistant strain.
If it is, your sickness will be more difficult to treat and could develop into a fatal condition. Researchers estimate that after the development of penicillin, death rates due to infection declined by 58%.
Today, patients who die from drug-resistant bacterial infections in the U.S. account for 35,000 deaths annually. The average life expectancy before penicillin was about 47 years, while that number is currently just above 72 years worldwide.
How Healthcare Cleaning Prevents the Spread of Disease in Your Office
Some of the best ways to slow the potential spread of disease is with thorough cleaning methods. The healthcare cleaning services we offer at Brenner Facility Services include a wide array of cleaning options.
Not only are our professionals trained to deal with blood-borne pathogens, but they also have been instructed and understand the unique needs of healthcare facilities, which empowers them to be safety compliant. Also, our company has developed a cleaning process that helps to prevent cross contamination, and works with you to customize any cleaning plan to accommodate your needs day or night, and respond quickly with any emergency cleaning services you might require.
In addition to medical offices, our staff also cleans clinics, dental offices, urgent care facilities, and long-term care and assisted living centers. Through our quality control inspections, we can help you to limit the spread of dangerous illnesses and pathogens more effectively, and ensure that you, your employees, and your patients are kept safe and healthy.
At Brenner, we have the specialized experience and expertise to provide customized medical office cleaning.
Cleaning Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities
Though healthcare facilities are in the business of treating patients, we are in the business of treating your space. Both must be handled appropriately in order to optimize health.
Essential Services For Healthcare Cleaning
When your healthcare facility gets cleaned, there are many vital considerations that must be made in order to ensure the quality of the service. To confirm that your medical space is properly cleaned, we verify that the products we apply are used for their intended purpose. From the water and disinfectants to the material used on the mops and rags, every element demands a clear decision that can help or hinder the proper cleaning of your space.
Precision Clean Room Janitorial Services
Other resources we provide are precision clean room janitorial services. This is where our professionals work with you to make sure the spaces are properly disinfected, and a schedule is maintained to verify that the rooms are well kept.
Also, maintaining accurate documentation of every cleaning is critical for high-traffic rooms and offices. A consistent cleaning schedule serves to prevent the spread of disease.
Additional Healthcare Cleaning Tools/Services
Additional factors that aid our professionals in the proper cleaning and care of your medical offices include the use of electrostatic disinfecting materials. We use electrostatic procedures to excite the liquid disinfectants, causing them to spread and cover the entire surface. This enables the disinfectants to reach those seemingly inaccessible surfaces.
Cleaning Medical Offices Is Our Specialty
We live in an era of wonderful technology and startling developments and discoveries in science and healthcare. The industry of healthcare has come a long way since the discovery of penicillin in the late 1920s and has continued to stretch the lifespan of human beings all across the globe.
New superbugs on the horizon have both medical professionals and patients concerned, however. By engaging the superior cleaning care of Brenner Facility Services, you can reduce these concerns and ensure that your medical offices are well kept, disinfected, and clean to support the health of both your employees and patients.