Question: Is it important that a cleaning company understands healthcare rules and regulations, specifically those from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)?

Tenzin Kunga, Medical Operations Assistant Manager:

One. Hundred. Percent. Having worked on both sides of the fence, if you will, I’ve seen the benefits for a healthcare facility when its cleaning partner has a clear understanding of what’s expected from the JCAHO.

Any of us who work in the space are aware of JCAHO’s role, but as a refresher it’s a 70-year-old nonprofit organization that accredits more than 22,000 health care organizations in the U.S. That includes hospitals, clinics, labs and more.

JCAHO is focused on assuring patient safety and quality of care – a mission we all can agree is important. As part of that mission, JCAHO measures more than 250 standards organizations must meet to maintain their accreditations.

And, yep, you guessed it: Infection control is a big part of JCAHO’s standards. That means your cleaning company needs to fully understand those standards, given the fact JCAHO will randomly audit a facility with no advance warning.

At KleenMark, we’re one of few cleaning companies that has a dedicated health and safety officer. His focus is on staying up-to-date on the latest health & safety regulations, best practices and standards. He then provides regular training to our healthcare teams.

Additionally, our healthcare leadership team has worked exclusively in clinics, hospitals and labs for the past 20-plus years. We know what matters most for patient safety, your infection control team and, of course, JCAHO. From waste streams to how to properly change gloves, we get it.

So, yes, it’s incredibly important your cleaning team understands JCAHO standards. Not only will they keep your facility clean and safe, but they’ll also understand the nuanced needs without any additional training needed from your internal team. And they’ll have tracked and recorded the cleaning process, so you’re ready for an impromptu audit.

If you want to learn more about how we train our healthcare cleaning teams, or our process in general, send us a note any time.