Harnessing the Power of Data and Reporting for Cleanliness and Infection Control in Healthcare

Cleanliness and infection control has never been more crucial in healthcare. With the rise of global health threats and the ongoing challenges posed by infectious diseases, healthcare facilities are under mounting pressure to maintain high hygiene and infection control standards.

Today, businesses across all industries are relying on data-driven insights to make informed decisions, improve the way they do things and bring more value to their business – and healthcare facilities are no exception.

Real-time data and reporting have emerged as powerful tools for cleanliness and infection control in particular. Data insights enable managers to monitor, analyse, and enhance cleanliness standards and workforce efficiencies, ultimately contributing to improved infection prevention and a higher return on investment.

Let's explore how data-driven reporting can bring value to healthcare facilities for cleanliness and infection control:

A clearer view of cleanliness

Integrating automated data and reporting tools into healthcare facilities provides a comprehensive and real-time view of cleanliness practices. ASEPSIS's Cleaning Excellence facility management solution lets you track cleaning activity room by room to monitor the frequency and effectiveness of cleaning procedures. For example, data may reveal that cleaners are spending too much time, or not enough time, on certain areas. By collecting real-time data, you can gain valuable insights into areas for improvement and make better decisions about the site.

Driving better compliance

Healthcare facilities are subject to stringent regulations and reporting requirements to ensure patient safety. Meeting these requirements takes significant time and resources, which is where data and reporting can help.

Cleaning data and reporting tools can be vital in monitoring compliance. With detailed reporting, managers can track adherence to cleanliness KPIs, identify non-compliance areas, and promptly implement corrective measures. Data can also facilitate compliance by ensuring accurate and timely reporting of the relevant information to stakeholders and clients in a fraction of the time spent manually compiling information.

Optimise your workforce

For many years, paper tick sheets were the preferred way to manage cleaners and measure their performance. But tick sheets have never told the whole story. A simple tick in a box can never tell you how well rooms are being cleaned, how quickly cleaners are working, or where improvements can be made.

Now, advanced technology is using beacons and connected devices to show managers the whole story. Cleaning Excellence by ASEPSIS uses Bluetooth-connected beacons, cleaning trolleys fitted with Android tablets, and an intuitive software interface to provide real-time data insights as cleaners work through their tasks. You can see the actual time taken for cleans, percentage of completed cleans, percentage of clean types (e.g. vacate, detail, infectious or service), and much more. In other words, you can learn about your cleaning operations in a way that allows you to make impactful changes.

For example, Cleaning Excellence lets you see the scheduled cleaning time versus the actual cleaning time for each area or room. If the actual cleaning time is more than the scheduled cleaning time on multiple occasions, you can speak to your team, investigate any issues causing a longer cleaning time, and implement solutions.

On the other hand, if the real time is less than the scheduled time, you can look at ways to optimise your workforce, potentially reducing the number of cleaners on site to save costs.

Real-time response

The problem with cleaning tick sheets and other traditional manual monitoring methods is that you often find out about problems when it's already too late.

In contrast, access to real-time data enables facilities and cleaning managers to promptly detect and address cleanliness concerns. This agility is particularly crucial in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, where prompt interventions can make a significant difference.

Continuous Improvement

Real-time data can reveal a lot about your facility, and it’s how you use that knowledge that counts. While making it easier to manage issues at a micro level, data-driven insights also empower healthcare facilities to pursue continuous improvement.

With dashboards, performance insights and reports, managers can identify areas to optimise cleaning schedules, lower costs, invest in targeted cleaning staff training, and more. Crucially, this process ensures facilities evolve their approach to cleanliness standards and infection prevention as new challenges, risks and opportunities emerge.

What gets measured gets managed

With data and reporting, excellence is not just a goal but a measurable reality. Data insights have the power to transform facility management, giving managers the knowledge and understanding to take cleanliness standards, efficiencies and compliance to the next level.

Learn how to take a smarter, more efficient approach to cleanliness with the ASEPSIS Cleaning Excellence App.