Germs from one person can easily be transferred to another, even without direct contact. These can be transmitted by touching an object or surface that isn’t thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. It’s vital in hospitals and other healthcare settings to properly clean and disinfect to avoid spreading germs, bacteria, and viruses, preventing people from getting sick.
Here are the reasons why it’s essential to disinfect in the healthcare industry:
1. To Prevent The Spread Of Unwanted Bacteria
According to Hygieia-San, one of the most significant factors people look for in a hospital, clinic, or laboratory is its cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation. A clean and sanitized hospital lobby, clinic reception area, and shared bathroom give an excellent impression to patients—and they’ll feel more comfortable using those areas.
It also makes them feel less anxious about getting infected due to airborne diseases and bacteria from surfaces that may compromise their health. It also follows that if the common area is clean and well-maintained, the rooms and the medical services are excellent too. Hospitals and clinics are businesses. It’s essential to give the patients and customers a superb perception so they’d return if needed.
2. To Keep Surfaces Clean For Other Patients And Health Workers
High-touch surfaces are often touched by people that may be easily contaminated and picked up by others using their hands. These include the light switch, door knob, bed rail, bed frame, tray table, IV pole, and other shared equipment.
These are also surfaces in the bathroom like the faucet, toilet, flush handle, bathroom tissue rolls and dispenser, hand dryer, and sink.
Your hands touch many things throughout the day and risk carrying microorganisms that may enter your body like eating without washing your hands.
That’s why cleaning and disinfecting these high-touch surfaces is essential to prevent these microorganisms from spreading, especially after a patient is discharged and another occupies the same room. It’s not only for the patient’s safety but also for the medical practitioners and other workers.
3. To Avoid Transmission Of Infectious Diseases
After every use, medical supplies such as face masks, oxygen masks, syringes, gloves, and bandages must be disposed of. These must be appropriately segregated to avoid contamination and the spread of diseases.
Medical equipment and supplies like stethoscopes, digital thermometers, blood pressure monitors, patient monitors, EKG/ECG machines, defibrillators, X-ray machines, and the like should be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected after each patient’s use to avoid transfer of germs from one person to another.
Proper cleaning and disinfection also ensure the safety of doctors, nurses, and other medical workers. They’d be able to work without worrying too much about their health.
4. To Ensure That Common Areas, Rooms, Equipment, And Supplies Are Bacteria-Free
Cleaning removes dust, dirt, or other impurities from an object, surface, or environment. Usually, you can already tell if a thing or surface is already clean just by looking at it. But you’re still unsure if it’s free of germs because those microorganisms are too tiny for the naked eye to see.
Remember, bacteria can stay up to five months on a dry surface. That’s why it’s essential to disinfect after cleaning and follow the instructions of the disinfecting products to ensure that germs, bacteria, and viruses will be killed.
Also, be mindful of how long the product or chemical should sit on the object, equipment, or surface to kill the bacteria. Doing a deep cleaning and sanitation is better than risking being sick.
5. Important For The Immune System
When people are healthy, they’re less likely to get sick. Their bodies have ways to fight against infection. However, most patients are ill in hospitals and clinics, and their immune system is weak. They’re more vulnerable to bacteria.
It poses a higher chance for them to acquire more diseases and might bring their health at risk.
That’s why it’s vital to keep the hospitals and clinics clean and disinfected to eliminate or at least lessen the chance of getting an unwanted disease. It’ll only not benefit the patients but the people in the workforce as well.
Final Thoughts
People go to hospitals or clinics to seek medical attention and treatment to feel better and healthier. On the contrary, there’s a risk of going to the hospital as you might have exposure to harmful bacteria and diseases.
But you don’t need to worry since this will be prevented if proper cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection are implemented in clinics and hospitals.
You must always be diligent in selecting the healthcare provider you entrust your health to. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you plan and prepare.
Read Also
- A Guide to Creating a Caring and Welcoming Space for Your Dental Patients
If you are running a dental practice, you might be looking to make your patients feel as comfortable as possible, especially since there are many adults who fear the dentist just as much as they did when they were children. To ensure that everyone feels as if your practice is a safe and welcoming space,… Read more: A Guide to Creating a Caring and Welcoming Space for Your Dental Patients - How Health Clinics Are Adopting Progressive Wellness PracticesIn recent years, health clinics have transformed their approach to patient care, incorporating progressive wellness practices to meet the diverse needs of today’s healthcare consumers. These practices go beyond traditional treatments, focusing on preventive care, integrative therapies, and personalized wellness strategies that support holistic health. By adopting forward-thinking wellness solutions, health clinics are setting new… Read more: How Health Clinics Are Adopting Progressive Wellness Practices
- Preventing Infections in Health Care Settings: Essential EquipmentInfections in healthcare settings pose a significant risk to patient safety, leading to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and, in some cases, death. To combat this challenge, a multifaceted approach is required, emphasizing the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. Among the most critical components of these measures is the use of… Read more: Preventing Infections in Health Care Settings: Essential Equipment
- Empowering the Next Generation of Medical Professionals: Inside Tareen Dermatology’s Gap Year ProgramIn the world of healthcare, the journey to becoming a medical professional is often long, rigorous, and demanding. For pre-med and pre-physician assistant (pre-PA) students, the road is paved with academic challenges, clinical experiences, and the constant need to prove their commitment to the field. One way to gain a competitive edge and meaningful experience… Read more: Empowering the Next Generation of Medical Professionals: Inside Tareen Dermatology’s Gap Year Program
- The Future of Care: Why Global Healthcare Services Matter More Than EverThe growing demand for healthcare services addressing chronic conditions and complex ailments necessitates a paradigm shift. Moving away from a reactive, treatment-focused approach, global healthcare now emphasizes prevention. Regular health screenings, early diagnosis, and proactive lifestyle modifications have become crucial components, enhancing accessibility and ensuring better health outcomes for all. This paradigm shift calls for… Read more: The Future of Care: Why Global Healthcare Services Matter More Than Ever
