DTSS: Dusting Away Old Practices, Elevating Patient Care

Dusters Total Solutions Services Pvt. Ltd. (DTSS), a leader in Integrated Facility Management (IFM), revolutionised Puducherry’s government hospitals and won the Swachh Bharat Award in just nine months. How did this happen? It is a case study for other States to follow. Clean India Journal spoke to CEO Sanjeev Kumar and his team to understand its functioning and how it brought about the change.

The strong odour of phenyl which greets patients on entering hospitals is a thing of the past. Nowadays the chemicals used for critical cleaning in hospitals are anything but smelly, yet they achieve the required level of hygiene and sterilisation. This transformation of large private institutions or smaller government facilities has been a pleasant surprise.

DTSS achieved this in Puducherry through awareness and consistency achieved using videos and posters, bringing about a significant change in hospitals. This change has led to moments where patients being discharged are sharing their happiness with housekeeping staff through warm embraces and generous words of praise. This previously unheard-of change in behaviour is significant, particularly in smaller cities across India.

Setting New Standards

The government of Puducherry took a major step in strengthening its public healthcare infrastructure with the construction of the Super Speciality Hospital for Women and Children in 2011. To sustain the hospital’s operational excellence and maintain high standards of hygiene and safety, the government adopted a progressive approach — outsourcing non-clinical functions to professional facility management specialists.

DTSS was awarded the contract in 2024 to manage non-clinical operations completely at two of Puducherry’s largest government hospitals — together spanning over 5 lakh sq. ft. and 1,100-plus beds. The Rajiv Gandhi Government Women & Children Hospital (RGGW&CH) has 500 beds and is spread over approximately three lakh sqft and the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital & Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH&PGI) has 626 beds spread over approximately 2.4 lakh sqft.

DTSS transformed the hospital environments, setting a new benchmark for public healthcare facility management and earning the coveted Swachh Bharat Award for excellence in cleanliness and hygiene. And all this in just nine months.

Working With a Vision

The engagement was conceived as a comprehensive IFM partnership —integrating diverse non-clinical services under one accountable, technology-enabled system. DTSS’s scope included:

• Mechanised Cleaning & Housekeeping
• Facility Engineering (MEP)
• Linen & Laundry
• Biomedical Waste Management
• Diet Production & Patient Service
• Front Desk Management
• Security & Surveillance
• Landscaping & Garden Maintenance

The project aimed at addressing core challenges within the system like fragmented service delivery and multiple vendors, deferred maintenance and infrastructure risk, pressure concerning hygiene, sanitation, and infection-risk, cost pressure and inefficient processes, issues with regulatory and accreditation compliance, unsatisfactory patient and visitor experience and challenges with the legacy workforce.

“DTSS’s integrated approach brought in measurable improvement in hygiene, safety, and patient satisfaction — essential metrics for any modern healthcare facility,” said Sanjeev.

Tangible Outcomes Delivered

The transformation quickly yielded clear results with the most significant improvement being in infection control and hygiene standards. There was also…

• A reduction in the average patient stay and improved operational reliability
• Enhanced patient and visitor satisfaction due to visible cleanliness and ambience
• Integrated services led to cost savings and better accountability
• Digital dashboards enabled transparent governance and regulatory compliance and
• Full alignment with the Swachh Bharat Mission’s vision for cleaner healthcare institutions

Value Additions

DTSS’s model extended beyond optimising hospital operations — it strengthened the entire healthcare ecosystem.

For instance, maternity wards often presented challenges due to the body discharge from the birthing process. Compounding this, the disposal of sanitary napkins by flushing them in toilets frequently caused clogging and added to unhygienic conditions for new mothers and infants.

This unsanitary practice has been slowly rooted out with constant displays of videos and posters to patients and visitors alike on the dangers of this method of disposal. The fact that the housekeeping team is burdened with the removal, cleaning and disposal of used sanitary napkins is driven home constantly to sensitise all within the hospital walls.

Let’s take a look at the value-adds:

1. Patient-Centric Outcomes

• Enhanced healing environment through cleaner, safer spaces that reduce HAI risks.
• Improved patient comfort and satisfaction through well-coordinated support services.

2. Operational & Administrative Efficiency

• Reduced management complexity with a single-point IFM partner.
• CAFM dashboards provided real-time visibility into performance metrics and compliance.
• Optimised resource utilisation lowered operational costs without compromising quality.

3. Compliance & Accreditation Readiness

• Strengthened adherence to NABH, Infection Control, and Biomedical Waste Management standards.
• Continuous internal audits improved readiness for external inspections and accreditations.

4. Workforce Empowerment & Local Employment

• Over 450 local employees were upskilled in hospital hygiene, infection control and biomedical waste handling.
• Training and certification programmes improved workforce retention and employability within the healthcare services sector.

5. Environmental Sustainability

• Adoption of green cleaning chemicals, energy-efficient tools, and responsible waste segregation.
• Reinforced the government’s commitment to sustainable public health infrastructure.

6. Public Health & Community Confidence

• Cleaner and well-managed hospitals strengthened public confidence in government healthcare services.
• The Puducherry IFM model now serves as a replicable framework for other states to modernise public hospitals through PPP-driven solutions.

Recognition and Awards

This remarkable transformation was nationally recognised when both hospitals — RGGW&CH and IGGGH&PGI — were awarded the Swachh Bharat Award for excellence in hospital hygiene and sustainable facility management.

Today, the organisation serves 100-plus hospitals across India, including Manipal Hospitals, Apollo Hospitals, Bombay Hospital, Indraprastha Medical Corporation, and Tata Medical Trust, continuing its mission to deliver safe, sustainable and patient-centric healthcare environments nationwide.

“Clean, efficient and well-managed hospitals are not just about hygiene —they are about healing, dignity and trust. DTSS’s work in Puducherry proves that public healthcare can be managed to a high standard,” added Sanjeev.