How do you evaluate your cleaning services?

1 Set clear goals and criteria

To evaluate your cleaning services, you must first have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Define your goals and criteria based on your facility's mission, vision, and values, as well as the best practices and guidelines from relevant authorities like the CDC and AHE. Examples of such goals and criteria include reducing the risk of infection and cross-contamination, enhancing the appearance and comfort of the facility, increasing the productivity and morale of the cleaning staff, minimizing the environmental impact and waste of the cleaning process, and optimizing the cost and efficiency of the cleaning resources.

2 Conduct regular audits and inspections

Conducting regular audits and inspections is one of the most common and effective ways to evaluate your cleaning services. These systematic and objective assessments are based on predetermined goals and criteria, and you can use various methods and tools to conduct them. Checklists and forms can cover the key aspects and standards of the cleaning process, while visual inspections examine the cleanliness and condition of surfaces, equipment, and materials. Microbial testing measures the level of bacteria and other pathogens on surfaces, while ATP testing detects the presence of organic matter or residue. Lastly, feedback surveys can collect the opinions and satisfaction of patients, staff, and visitors.

4 Implement and monitor the improvement

The final step in evaluating your cleaning services is to implement and monitor the improvement. You should use the results and recommendations from your audits and inspections to make changes and adjustments to your cleaning process, policies, and procedures. Additionally, communicating and training your cleaning staff and other stakeholders on the new expectations and standards is essential. To ensure that your cleaning services are meeting the needs and expectations of your healthcare facility, you should use SMART goals that specify desired outcomes and indicators, a PDCA cycle that applies the plan-do-check-act approach to continuous improvement, a quality management system that integrates quality principles and practices into the organizational culture, as well as performance reviews and recognition that reward and motivate the cleaning staff. Evaluating your cleaning services is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires commitment and collaboration for delivering the best possible care and experience to your patients, staff, and visitors.