Health library

There is a small army of dedicated individuals at Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics who do not get a lot of attention, nor do they seek it. However, these unsung heroes in red scrubs deserve high praise for keeping our facilities sparkling clean. Our "Clean Machine" removes not only the grime and dirt we can see, but also the germs, bacteria and other ugly little things we can't see that have the potential to make us very sick.

Next time you see one of our Environmental Services (EVS) specialists working in a facility, please think about saying thanks. They probably don't hear it as often as they should. They have worked extra hard and long during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allan Hansen (always the tallest in every group photo) joined GRH in October 2018 as our EVS department manager. He was happy to answer some questions about what he and his team do every day—COVID-19 or not.

Q: Describe a typical procedure for cleaning a hospital patient's room after they've been released, in preparation for the next patient.

A: Every room is thoroughly disinfected after each patient is discharged. This includes a wipe-down of the entire room from top to bottom, working in a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion to avoid missing any areas. All linens are replaced, and the room is restocked. In total, an inpatient room takes us on average 45 to 60 minutes to completely clean and ready for the next patient.

Q: What changes—if any—to disinfection efforts has EVS implemented since March 2020, when COVID-19 hit Union County?

A: We were very fortunate that all the measures we had in place and the disinfectants we use were already effective against COVID-19. The main changes we made were for employee safety, to protect them from possible unnecessary exposure.

Q: How many UV disinfecting units (called The Torch) does GRH have? What is the financial investment (cost) in these units? Is there any training to use them? Where do we use them? How often do we use them?

A: We just bought our 10th unit, and the cost is approximately $25,000 per unit for the large floor models. We also have tabletop units that disinfect smaller areas and are less of an investment. Use of the units is very simple and user-friendly. Training for employees takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes. We currently use these units throughout the Hospital and most of our clinics. They are used after every isolation patient discharge and are used in the operating rooms every single day. With the additional Torch units, we are able to expand our UV treatment program. We are working toward treating every single inpatient room after discharge as an added layer of protection.

Q: How would you say we measure up against other hospitals?

A: I may be a little biased, but I think we knock it out of the park! I have visited numerous hospitals lately and paid attention to their methods. For example, our team is very engaged in the "why" behind what we do. Our team is invested in our process and understands the importance of it.

Q: What is the No. 1 thing you'd like our community to know about the cleanliness and safety of our facilities?

A: We are here and ready to protect them and keep them safe. Right now, going to the doctor at a clinic or a hospital can be concerning to some. We understand that, but we are doing everything we can to protect our patients and visitors. We are working hard to prevent them from getting sick from being in one of our facilities. This is what we've always done and will continue to do.

See The Torch in action. Go to morehealth.org/torch to watch our short video.