Patient perceptions of cleanliness have a direct effect on reported infection rates

A study by Compass One Healthcare and Press Ganey has found that a patient’s perception of cleanliness at an ambulatory health facility has a direct impact on the reported infection rate. The study results are from more than one million post-procedure patient surveys.

The results show a statistically significant relationship between a patient’s perception of facility cleanliness and signs of infection outside of that facility. If patients do not feel like the facility is clean, they are 2.3 times more likely to report signs of infection after leaving the ambulatory care setting.

The study found that the perceptions of cleanliness are affected by three patient experience factors in the ambulatory setting. These are the courtesy of nonclinical staff members, whether staff made sure patients felt comfortable during their experience, and overall efficiency, such as a seamless check-in process and pre-procedure communication.

In addition, perceptions of cleanliness differ based on key patient demographics, including region, gender, race, and ethnicity, among others. For examples, the study found perceptions of cleanliness among male respondents are more highly influenced by staff “courtesy and respect,” while female respondents are more impacted by their overall perceptions of the facility and the helpfulness of the patient access team.

“As ambulatory care centers see an increasingly higher volume of patients, it’s more important than ever to focus on improving the human experience of health care and ensuring a clean, safe environment for all patients,” said Charles Hagood, president, Strategic Consulting, Press Ganey, in a statement.