Not consistently. We examined the relationship between patient cleanliness scores and actual infection rates and found no reliable connection between the two. That challenges a common assumption, that higher cleanliness scores signal stronger infection prevention. Cleanliness still shapes how patients judge their care, but it may not tell you what you think it does about safety. An effective hospital cleaning service must therefore address both infection prevention and the broader patient experience. What patients respond to is broader than a clean room. They notice people, communication, consistency and the confidence those create across their entire care journey.
Understanding that perception and protection require different strategies is the starting point for building an EVS program that delivers both. Protecta is Sodexo's healthcare environmental services program, designed around exactly that challenge: standardized cleaning protocols and true environmental disinfection on one side; visible processes, staff training and patient engagement on the other. See how Protecta supports your infection prevention goals and your patient experience goals at the same time.
