OVERVIEW

In partnership with Ultra Durable Technologies, Facility Health Solutions provided CentraCare - St. Cloud Hospital with a low-maintenance and economical alternative to traditional acrylic floor care systems.

EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish was developed by Ultra Durable Technologies to completely replace the ongoing and costly maintenance requirements associated with traditional acrylic floor care programs. One thin coat of EPIC® lasts an average of 3-5 years in high traffic environments without any buffing or recoating. The labor savings allow janitorial staff to focus on other important cleaning and sanitizing duties that are increasingly important in medical facilities. In addition, the use of EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish saves a tremendous amount of water, electricity, and chemicals that can have a negative impact on patients, visitors, staff, and the environment. Finally, all floor care work requires staff and patient displacement, all of which is a disturbance to daily operations.

THE TRIAL

CentraCare - St. Cloud Hospital, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, conducted an initial trial of EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish June of 2013. The goal was to monitor how long one coat of EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish would outperform the current acrylic floor finish in the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). The area is high traffic and includes recovery bays, hallways, nurse stations, and restrooms. The initial EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish trial was led by Molly Voigt, Director of Environmental Services. Molly and her team are responsible for 1.5 million square feet of flooring across the St. Cloud Hospital campus.

The PACU floor was brand new in 2013. The acrylic floor care program that was previously in place at CentraCare, would have required a large amount of labor each year. Due to the continuous activity and long operating hours in this department, Molly and her team knew these floors would be a challenge to maintain. The decision was made to apply EPIC® to the brand-new flooring before opening the area to staff and patients.

TRIAL OUTCOME

As of April 2021, almost eight years after the single coat of EPIC® High-Performance Floor Finish was applied, the floors still look great. The gloss is still high and there has been no buffing, striping, or recoating. The only maintenance simply involves dust mopping with a microfiber mop in smaller areas and using auto scrubbers in larger areas and halls. Beyond the financial savings, when compared to the expense of the old acrylic wax program, St. Cloud Hospital has also experienced less down time resulting in less patient and staff disruption.