In practice, the answer is very often: yes.

The same procurement category. Similar tender documentation. Comparable KPIs. Often even similar supplier requirements.

The problem is that operationally, we are dealing with two completely different worlds.

When we talk about cleaning services in healthcare facilities and senior living environments, we cannot look only at the service itself. We need to take a broader perspective – what function does it serve within the organisation?

And this is exactly where everything changes: the way requirements are defined, supplier selection, contract structure, KPIs, and ongoing contract management.

1.⁠ ⁠Healthcare facilities – cleaning as part of clinical safety.

In hospitals and outpatient clinics, cleaning is not a supporting service. It is a set of “must-have” procedures and a key element of infection control systems.

After every surgical procedure, operating rooms must not only be cleaned but also disinfected according to strict sanitary protocols, ensuring the space is safely prepared for the next patient.

In this model, visual cleanliness is not the primary goal. The priority is minimizing infection risk, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring clinical safety.

But what about the patient? Do they notice the facility itself?

Cleanliness and first impressions in healthcare facilities can significantly influence how service quality is perceived.

Patients form their opinion not only based on the medical consultation itself but also on the environment, hygiene standards, and the overall organisation of the facility. A positive experience builds trust, supports the decision to choose the facility, and increases the likelihood of returning.

Gabriela Kaflik: “Having prepared procurement processes for cleaning services in commercial healthcare facilities — both hospitals and care homes – I have repeatedly observed how different these environments truly are.”

From a practical perspective, in healthcare facilities, patient safety is the top priority. It is not based on assumptions that “it will somehow work out.” Nor on the belief that the mere presence of a supplier guarantees proper service delivery.

Yes – cost matters.

Excel will always accept everything.

But ultimately, it is management that is responsible for sanitary standards, patient safety, procedural compliance, and operational risk.

That is why price is an important criterion, but never the only one. Equally important are:

– sanitary and epidemiological procedures as the foundation of service delivery – without them, even the best supplier cannot meet minimum requirements,

– zoning of space into risk areas (clean, dirty, and high-risk zones), especially critical in hospital environments,

– use of appropriate chemical agents, disinfectants, and bactericidal products with proven efficacy,

– checklists, audits, and documentation of performed activities – essential for both supplier and facility,

– trained staff who understand the medical environment, procedures, and have relevant experience and references.

2.⁠ ⁠Nursing homes and senior living – cleaning as part of quality of life.

In senior living and long-term care environments, the function of cleaning is slightly different.

This is not a strictly clinical environment.

It is a daily living space for residents.

Therefore, cleaning plays a different role than in medical facilities.

Of course, hygiene and safety still matter, but equally important are comfort, aesthetics, relationships, and the daily wellbeing of residents.

Do senior living residents pay attention to who cleans their rooms?

In practice – very often, yes.

Thanks to daily contact, residents build relationships with cleaning staff. Continuity of service matters, as does familiarity and the sense that someone trusted and known enters their private space.

Over time, the presence of cleaning staff becomes a natural part of the daily rhythm of the facility.

In practice, this means the service:

– builds a sense of homeliness and predictability in daily functioning,

– covers both shared spaces and private living areas,

– ⁠requires sensitivity, empathy, and the ability to work with elderly residents,

– relies on staff stability and relationship-building with residents,

– ⁠in many respects, is closer to a hospitality (hotel-like) standard than a hospital model,

– residents in senior living often stay 24/7, frequently for many years, and their room becomes their home,

– hospital patients, on the other hand, are admitted primarily for treatment and usually stay for a limited time.

Here, we are not primarily buying clinical risk control. We are buying comfort, quality of life, and dignity.

And that changes everything – from procurement design to tendering and supplier evaluation.

3.⁠ ⁠Employment or outsourcing? Why the delivery model matters?

Once we understand that these are two different service models, another question arises for decision-makers: who should deliver the service?

1.⁠ ⁠In-house staff
2.⁠ ⁠Specialized FM outsourcing provider
3.⁠ ⁠A hybrid model – in-house staff plus professional cleaning company

We should not be afraid to benchmark the market – suppliers, costs, quality, competencies, and organisational efficiency.

In healthcare facilities, outsourcing often provides access to procedures, standards, know-how, and system-level accountability. The organisation does not need to worry about who will clean the facility when staff are on sick leave or extended vacation.

In nursing homes and senior living facilities, however, stability of the team, continuity of relationships, and familiarity with residents are often critical — which may favour in-house or hybrid models in some organisations.

However, one thing remains constant: a poorly chosen delivery model can undermine even the best-written service specification.

Conclusion:

Cleaning is not a universal service.

In hospitals and outpatient clinics, it is part of the patient safety system.

In senior living facilities, it becomes part of daily life, comfort, relationships, and dignity.

Understanding this difference is key. It allows organisations to define requirements properly, run effective procurement processes, structure contracts correctly, and manage services successfully. Because a well-designed service does not start with a procurement category or a tender checklist.

It starts with a simple question: what function should it serve in the organisation – so that managers can focus on running the business, not putting out fires.