Health Care Cleaning- Five things you must know to get your first contract

Health Care Cleaning- Five things you must know to get your first contract

1. JCAHO

The Joint Commission (JCAHO) is an organization that sets standards for health care institutions. The standards they set are known to be especially stringent and quite vast. For cleaning companies, the main concern should be to demonstrate knowledge of JCAHO patient safety standards, especially pertaining to infection control. In particular, show that you and/or your employees understand JCAHO hand hygiene guidelines. Although your cleaning duties might not involve direct contact with patients, having knowledge of this will definitely be a major advantage. Visit jointcommission.org for more details on patient safety standards. They will differ slightly depending on the type of facility.

2. C.P.R. training

Most health care facilities want their entire staff to be CPR trained, regardless of whether they are involved in patient care. You might wonder why this is. Well, emergencies often occur at the worst hour. If this should happen, and the hospital is under staffed, an extra pair of hands to help with CPR could save a life, and keep the health care staff functioning at set standards. This again is a plus and having your staff trained is relatively inexpensive and will look good on your bid.

3. HIPAA.

HIPAA is a law that was enacted to protect patient privacy. If you're working in a health care environment, workers must have knowledge of HIPAA laws. In a nutshell, they must understand that if for some reason they come into contact with patient health information, they are obligated to keep it private. Train your employees on HIPAA laws, at a basic level. HIPAA guidelines span from the handling of physical patient documents to the infrastructure of computer systems and everything else that involved the patient's health information. It would take a considerable amount of time to master them all. For the purposes of your training, emphasize the main point, which is the obligation to keep patient health information confidential. You can get HIPAA training from a variety of institutions. When choosing a program, be sure that it's from a reputable source.

4. Tests and Vaccines

Everyone working in a health care environment is required to get a TB test and in some cases the Influenza vaccine (flu shot). There may be more vaccines or tests required by the health care facility. Show that you understand that these tests and vaccines have to be administered and that your staff is ready to comply. These tests and vaccines will be a requirement, without exception; if you or your staff will be working inside the facility.

5. Specialized cleaning techniques

This is the most critical of all. You will have to show that your organization and your employees understand the cleaning procedures and practices for the area in which they will work. There are several processes and procedures required to clean health care facilities. At the risk of stating the obvious, the following are two terms that one must understand;

Some critical points:

Show that you understand the difference between cleaning and disinfection procedures.

- Cleaning is the physical removal of unwanted materials from surfaces.

- Disinfection is the elimination of pathogenic micro-organisms (germs) that could potentially spread infections.

There are many publications that give details on the best practices for cleaning and disinfection in health care, including the use of green cleaning products. One resource I found quite informative is;

www.sustainableproduction.org

In conclusion, when bidding for a health care cleaning contract, understand that your organization's duty is critical to the survival of the facility. Health care facilities that fail to meet HIPAA and JCAHO standards face stiff penalties and may lose funding for some of their programs. Most importantly, keeping the facility clean and thoroughly disinfected is critical to the health of the staff, the patients, visitors and will ultimately lead to your success.

Edwin T. B.S. Health Care Management

POST COMMENT

Whole Body Vibration (wbv) Platform - An Overview Green Green tea - Neither a Bodyweight Loss Diet plan Nor a Health supplement But It Performs Miracles to Maintain You in Form The Short And Skinny On The Federal Tax Forms You Need Finding the Right Occupational Health Job Organized Cabling in Health care Amenities and TR-forty two.1 Healthy Smoothies - Excellent For Detoxification And Dessert Too Prevalent Sleeping Challenges In Boys and girls in Toddler Years What Qualities to Look for in Electronic Cigarettes Tips To Keep A Healthy Smile Oasis Punta Cana International Winter Tips Beach Resorts Sales Gastronomical Treats Plus Marvels Excessive Head Sweating - Causes, Symptoms And Remedies Mentioned Discover the secrets to a woman's body language Physical Fitness - How It Keeps You Disease Free