Health clinics and other outpatient facilities play a vital role offering essential services during the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to maintain their essential service, places such as hospital-based outpatient clinics, community health centers, and physician offices must be proactive in preventing the spread of Covid-19 while in operation.

Here are some tips for helping to prevent community spread of Covid-19 in your outpatient facility so it can remain open and be a safe place for patients seeking care.

Establish policies and procedures with your janitorial team for cleaning and disinfecting

A good janitorial service like SMO Works will keep their team members up to date on the CDC recommendations for managing healthcare facilities. You should establish policies and procedures with your janitorial team that will help prevent spread and cover the unique needs of your facility. These procedures should be based on what the CDC recommends and they should be updated regularly as new information becomes available.

Your janitorial team should be well-versed in the use of EPA-registered disinfectants approved for use in healthcare. They should use those disinfectants to perform the regular cleaning of:

• Floors
• Walls
• Examination Tables
• Sinks
• Bathrooms
• Office Furniture
• Waiting Areas

The frequency of routine cleaning schedules may need to be increased or decreased based on the current case numbers in your area. Or, if the number of potentially infected patients your facility is handling is increasing, then you may also need to adjust cleaning frequency to prevent an outbreak.

Arranging your waiting area with patient safety in mind

Routine doctor visits are down because people are reluctant to come to outpatient facilities because they fear exposure to the virus. It is important for your business to calm those concerns by making your patients feel safe and comfortable while waiting for your services.

It is important to make sure that your waiting area is well-marked with information regarding the coronavirus pandemic and what your patients should do if they feel sick. Also posted should be information about the importance of hand sanitizing, social distances, and wearing face covering while inside the waiting room. There is also a specific way you should set up your waiting area in addition to staggering appointments to prevent overcrowding. Here are some tips for keeping patients in your waiting area safe while they seek treatment:

• Arrange furniture at least 6 feet apart
• Remove all toys and reading materials
• Keep an abundant supply of tissues and hand sanitizer available
• Provide patients easy access to a sink and sanitizing soap
• Have janitorial staff regularly clean and disinfect waiting areas
• Hire a day porter to clean throughout the day

Hire a janitorial service with a solid quality-control program

The cleaning and disinfecting of outpatient facilities is a job that has dire consequences if it is not done correctly during normal times, but especially during a pandemic. It is imperative to the health and safety of your staff and patients to make sure your janitorial team is professional and sufficiently trained to handle the cleaning of your outpatient facility.

When searching for a professional service contractor for your outpatient facility, it is important to research their quality assurance program to make sure that they take the quality of their services seriously.

A professional janitorial services company with a solid quality-control program that keeps their employees up-to-date on the latest CDC recommendations will help you keep your outpatient facility clean, disinfected, and open during the coronavirus pandemic.

If you need a customized service solution for your outpatient facility, let SMO help. Request a free quote today.