Improve HCAHP scores and patient, staff, and visitor experiences.
“If [a patient or visitor] walks in the front door and smells urine, that sets the tone for their experience,” said Doug Green, regional director of environmental services at Mercy Hospital Springfield, Missouri. “When you smell an odor, you start questioning everything else. It’s all about perception.”
When a healthcare facility patient or visitor is met with bad smells, it can set the first impression for the rest of their experience. Reputation, complaints, customer satisfaction scores, and repeat visits can all be negatively impacted by nuisance odors. Whether cleaning chemicals or patient care, controlling smells is a constant challenge in healthcare.
Fresh Wave IAQ uses simple science to harness the power of plants as natural odor removers. Our proprietary blend of oils from pine, aniseed, clove, lime, and other sources tackle the toughest smells without dangerous side effects.In fact, our Odor Eliminating Gel and Air & Surface Spray have been recognized by the U.S. EPA as Safer Choice products.
A Fresh Smelling Facility is a Clean Facility
Cleanliness is a key benchmark for HCAHP and reduces the likelihood of Healthcare Associated Infections. Customer satisfaction scores are also used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to assess reimbursement amounts. A facility with odor issues gives the perception that it is not clean.
Odor Sources
Patient/Resident Rooms
When dealing with patients struggling with illness, there’s an increased chance for odors from bodily fluids, vomit, urine, or feces caused by incontinence. Most patient rooms include private restrooms, which cause odors, as well.
Fresh Wave IAQ Air & Surface Spray and Odor Removing Gels work to eliminate these smells, and allow for faster room turnaround times (a few hours, versus 1-2 days).
Laundry/Dirty Linen Rooms
Many facilities have in-house laundry rooms or on-site linen rooms, even if they outsource linen cleaning. These spaces store all dirty linens for the facility — every soiled sheet, towel used for cleaning, and nightgown worn — for up to a week until the next pickup. The build-up of foul odors can be overwhelming.
Use Fresh Wave IAQ Laundry Additive to eliminate soiled linens smells and Gels to control odors in dirty linen rooms.
Public Restrooms, Waiting Areas & Fitness Centers
Odor sources are not limited to patients. With all the shared public spaces in healthcare facilities, bad smells can accumulate quickly. Depending on staff resources, restrooms can be cleaned infrequently and struggle with poor ventilation. In buildings with rehabilitation or fitness centers, controlling sweat and body odors can add be a pain-point for EVS departments.
Fresh Wave Air & Surface Spray and Gels combat odors in public areas, while Carpet & Upholstery Additive removes smells from high-traffic fabrics.
Strong Cleaning Chemicals
In order to meet these challenges, today’s hospital environmental services professionals need to use strong solutions of hydrogen peroxide, bleach, and other chemicals, which kill bacteria on an ongoing basis. Odor from these types of cleaning solutions can compromise the care environment. The need to use at off-peak times can lower staff productivity and business profitability.
Eco-friendly Fresh Wave IAQ products can be used with or soon after using cleaning, disinfecting, and/or maintenance chemicals.
Benefits of Fresh Wave IAQ
Natural
Uses the natural power of plant oils to remove odors from patient care and cleaning chemicals.
Safe
Non-toxic, non-hazardous, biodegradable, non-flammable, and no harmful VOCs means it’s safe to use by staff, around patients.
Effective
Proven by independent and customer labs to reduce smells.
Complete
Products and equipment effective on any odor, from any source.
Featured Case Studies
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”I can testify that the odor control onsite has been much more manageable since we started utilizing the Fresh Wave IAQ system. We cannot remember how we got along without it.
Maria Saralegui, Director of Housekeeping and Laundry, Northern California Senior Living Community
