Ambulatory and Healthcare Facilities: How to Choose a Commercial Janitorial Company

Choosing a commercial janitorial company may not be the most enjoyable aspect of your job, but it is an important one. If you are looking for a new (or better) service or need to find a commercial janitorial service for your ambulatory or healthcare facility, here is what you need to know.

People use the terms commercial janitorial and commercial cleaning interchangeably. Janitorial usually refers to the traditional vacuuming, dusting, trash removal, and cleaning of bathrooms, kitchens, and common areas. Commercial janitorial cleaning typically goes a step further to provide specialized care for facilities such as:

• Doctor’s offices
• Urgent care facilities
• Surgery center
• Dialysis centers
• Outpatient treatment centers
• Other types of ambulatory care or healthcare facilities

With today’s emphasis on infection control and the need to keep your facility clean, safe, and healthy for your patients, staff, and visitors, the lines are blurred. You will want to work with a commercial janitorial company that provides a full range of services from janitorial to commercial cleaning, including disinfection and advanced infection control.

Experienced, Trained, and Qualified

When evaluating commercial janitorial services or commercial cleaning services, your provider needs to be fully trained in the use of cleaning products, PPE, and the appropriate tools for healthcare environments. This includes:

• Following OSHA, EPA, CDC, and ISSA guidelines for workplace safety and infection control
• Using hospital-grade infection control protocols that eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses on exposed surfaces
• Certification in Blood Borne Pathogens and Global BioRisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Disinfection procedures
• Following regulatory standards required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC)

Make sure any commercial janitorial company you work with meets these standards.

Avoid any company that does not employ trained professionals. Many commercial cleaning services use day hires or do not have technicians capable of providing the quality care you need in a healthcare setting.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Ask to see a standard checklist for cleaning of healthcare facilities. It should include all areas of your facility and the services provided. Depending on your needs, you may want basic janitorial services or cleaning and disinfection. Review this list thoroughly and add any special requirements you have. Pay extra attention to areas such as sub-sterile areas, surgical suites, or treatment areas that may require a different standard of care.

You will also want to make any evaluation of commercial janitorial companies by comparing a consistent set of requirements.

Make sure your service agreement reflects everything you want, including frequency. Then, make sure the checklist that will be used also includes these items. Your commercial janitorial company should provide a checklist for every visit so you have the peace of mind that the work’s been done according to your agreement.

CDC Recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that any commercial cleaning or commercial janitorial company working in healthcare facilities should provide you with the following:

• Organizational charts for all contracted employees, including functional reporting lines and responsibilities
• Staffing plans for each patient care area, including contingency plans for additional staff
• Training content and frequency for contracted employees
• Cleaning schedules and methods for each patient care area, in line with the facility policy
• Methods for routine monitoring and feedback
• List of supplies and equipment to be used

For most healthcare facilities, scheduling will also be an important consideration. Commercial janitorial companies should be able to work on your schedule to limit any downtime even if you are a 24x7 operation.

The OpenWorks Commercial Janitorial Solution for Healthcare Facilities

OpenWorks’ elite network of service providers offers multiple levels of service for commercial janitorial and cleaning as part of its TotalWorksTM system.

SaniServicesTM includes three levels of janitorial, cleaning, and disinfection. Disinfection of high-touch surfaces uses hospital-grade disinfectant products on the EPA’s list of approved disinfectants.

InfectaGuardTM provides an even deeper level of cleaning and disinfecting services, including hard-to-reach surfaces and surfaces not typically cleaned regularly.

Continuous Care from OpenWorks includes an antimicrobial surface protectant for long-lasting protection. After cleaning and disinfecting, an electrostatic sprayer is used to bond protectant to surfaces to provide continuous protection from germs and bacteria for up to 90 days.

OpenWorks is the leading supplier of commercial janitorial and commercial cleaning services for healthcare facilities. We provide noticeably cleaner, safer, and healthier environments for your patients, staff, and visitors.

Contact OpenWorks to get an estimate for cleaning, disinfection and infection control services in your ambulatory or healthcare facility.