Päijät Häme: Precision hospital cleaning with the i-walk
"The i-walk is more agile in smaller areas than larger robots and combination machines. It is also convenient because the XL part can be easily detached from the i-walk, allowing you to clean edges and, for example, under tables with just the i-mop XL."
Iris Huurne-LeppänenService supervisor at PHKS
Päijät-Häme Central Hospital is Finland’s second-largest hospital, with 120,000 visitors and 2,900 staff. Päijät-Hämeen Laitoshuoltopalvelut Oyprovides facility management services for the hospital. They are a regular i-team client and had already used co-botic units and i-mops successfully (see Case Study: Päijät Häme – Automation and Robotization in Hospital Cleaning). To clean smaller areas more efficiently, they added the i-walk to their fleet.
The customer’s challenge
While automation with co-botic 45, co-botic 65, and i-mops had improved efficiency, certain tighter spaces, such as patient rooms, offices, and café areas, were still time-consuming to clean. Staff needed a solution that could:
- Navigate small areas more easily than large robots
- Integrate smoothly into the existing fleet of machines
The solution
i-team's partner, Kristall Pro, introduced the i-walk to address the challenge. The cleaning operators started using it alongside other co-botics and the i-mops for flexibility.
How is the division of labor among i-mops, robots (co-botic 45/65), and i-walk planned?
”The PHKS staff use all machines smoothly, alternating at the same time in different areas. Other facility cleaners use the i-mop in various spaces. The i-walk operates in small aisles and empty patient rooms as well as offices in PHKS.”
Result
- Improved cleaning quality
”The quality and cleanliness level improves, patient rooms are cleaned more regularly and the i-walk is more agile in smaller areas than larger robots and combination machines.”
- Flexibility with detachable i-mop XL unit for hard-to-reach spots
“It is also convenient because the XL part can be easily detached from the i-walk, allowing you to clean edges and, for example, under tables with just the XL. The actual work also speeds up.”
- Integration into a data monitoring system to track usage rates
”The data have been gathered and provided to our partner ATOP to assist in planning and standardization.”
- Staff acceptance and less physical strain
“Initially, there was some apprehension about using the i-walk in other locations and skepticism about its functionality, but it is now in heavy use. Users at PHKS have praised the machine, noting that it is very easy to move from one place to another using the joystick.”
