The Importance of Evaluating Your Hospital's Environmental Services Program

Environmental Services (EVS) is an essential component of healthcare operations. Maintaining sanitary conditions is a critical element of a successful Infection Prevention Program. It is a very common practice for healthcare facilities to contract these services. Whether your organization uses a third-party vendor or employs your own EVS personnel, make it a priority to evaluate day-to- day operations throughout your facility to ensure patient safety and good infection prevention practices.

Education is the most important consideration for establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment. When outsourcing EVS services, it is important to consider if the service provider has experience in the healthcare setting. We have found that some organizations may contract with vendors who have only had general EVS training. Ensuring that EVS workers are trained and competent is critical, specifically when it comes to cleaning isolation rooms and terminal cleaning in the surgical services environment.

Here are a few considerations for evaluating your organization’s EVS Program:

Use of personal protective equipment. Have team members been trained on proper donning and doffing procedures? Is this being done properly between locations/rooms?
Hand Hygiene. Are team members compliant with hand hygiene protocol? Is hand hygiene being performed at appropriate intervals?
Separation of clean and dirty supplies. Are clean materials such as paper products, linen and microfiber cleaning cloths being stored separate from soiled materials?
Cleaning agents. Are team members using products that are safe and approved? Are they familiar with how to safely use cleaning agents? Are they donning required PPE for chemicals being used? Is the cleaning of equipment (if applicable) being done in accordance with the Manufacturer’s recommendations? Have they been trained on Safety Data Sheets? Are cleaning agents being stored safely and securely? Do they know where eyewash stations are located?
Curtains. Are team members trained on policies for removing and cleaning curtains in patient care areas?
Hazardous and biological waste. Are they properly trained on safe handling, removal, and secure storage protocols?
Cleaning logs. Are these being completed and maintained correctly? Do you have the ability to access and recall logs?
Communication. How are requests being made for EVS cleaning? Is there sound communication between departments requesting services as to what specific cleaning requirements are needed in various areas? Examples: terminal cleaning for isolation, operating rooms, cleaning areas where renovation or construction are underway or bed bugs infestations, etc.?

Environmental Services Programs are a critical part of operations in all healthcare facilities. Regardless of whether you directly employee EVS personnel or use contracted services, be sure that a comprehensive training program exists. Are team members properly educated and deemed competent in the duties that they are expected to perform? Training should occur with onboarding of all new team members. EVS should be integrated into your organization’s Infection Prevention Program.

Good environmental service practices are essential for establishing and maintaining sanitary conditions, preventing infection, and ensuring safe conditions for patients and healthcare providers.

HCE Global is Here to Help

Our HCE Global experts understand the challenges that healthcare facilities are facing today. We are here to help. Using a customizable approach, we will help you navigate through even the toughest of challenges. We pride ourselves on helping our clients achieve and maintain a status of excellence in the healthcare industry.

Be sure to browse Our Website for a full list of services we provide.

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NSHN and OSHA Reporting: Prepared to Meet the Deadline?

February 10, 2025

It is that time of year again. At least for acute care hospitals, long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) who report to The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). If annual surveys are not reported by March 1 st , then your organization will not be permitted to enter monthly reporting plans until the annual survey has been completed. Although there are just a few weeks to go, early planning is the key. It is important to consider that responses to the Annual Survey questions are a collaborative effort. Planning a meeting in advance with key stakeholders will help to ease the stress of completing what some may consider to be a daunting task. Be sure to coordinate with Facilities Managers, Pharmacists, Laboratory, Nursing, Infection Prevention and Quality leaders on annual survey responses. Although individuals who are responsible for report submission may find that some of the data has not changed significantly from the previous year, we have identified that some questions have been removed while additional questions have been added. If you are new to NHSN reporting and have not yet completed an annual survey, you will find an alert reminding you on your dashboard upon logging in. Keep in mind that the survey you are completing requires data from the previous calendar year. You will be submitting data for 2024 due March 1 st , 2025. There are a variety of questions that will require information about metrics, facility type, infection prevention practices, laboratory testing methods, water quality management, and antimicrobial stewardship practices for example. Instructions on completing your organization’s annual survey click on the link below that corresponds with your facility type: Instructions for Completing Annual Hospital Survey Instructions for Completing LTAC Annual Survey Instructions for Completing IRF Annual Survey OSHA requires the following facilities to complete an annual occupational injury and Illness Report: Ambulatory Health Care Servies General Medical and Surgical Hospitals Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals Specialty Hospitals Skilled Nursing Facilities For a complete list of facilities required to report annually via electronic submission and for additional information on Standard 1904 Subpart E Appendix B click on the following link: OSHA Injury and Illness Reporting Requirements . Much like NHSN annual surveys, this reporting is also for the prior calendar year. Your deadline for submission is March 2, 2025. If your organization has not previously been reporting, please note that you will need to set up an Injury Tracking Application (ITA) account. For complete instructions, click on the following link User Guide . Individuals who are responsible for report completion and submission should have a clear understanding of criteria that constitutes a work-related injury. They will also need to know if the employee missed days of work because of injury or illness. If an employee was restricted from usual work activities or reassigned to a new role as a result of the injury or illness this information must be documented. If an employee required care beyond basic first aid, this will also need to be reported. Reporters should not include Protected Health Information (PHI). For a brief tutorial on OSHA annual reporting requirements, click on the following link OSHA Injury and Illness Reporting . Our experts understand the challenges that all healthcare facilities are facing today. Using a customizable approach, we will help you navigate through even the toughest of challenges. Whether you are in need of mock surveys, leadership training, corrective action plans or ongoing support services, we can help! We pride ourselves on helping our clients achieve and maintain a status of excellence in the healthcare industry. Be sure to browse Our Website for a full list of services we provide. Contact us today at +1 (800) 813-7117 to schedule a free consultation. References: https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/forms/instr/57_103-toi.pd https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904SubpartEAppB https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/ita_user_guide.pdf https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/osha_rktutorial.pdf

A hospital room with a bed and a lot of medical equipment.

National Patient Safety Goals: A Glimpse At 2025

January 13, 2025

In 2002 The Joint Commission (TJC) first established the National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) Program. In 2003, TJC rolled out the first set of NPSG’s. Each year, TJC prioritizes patient safety goals for various healthcare programs.

A surgeon is standing next to a patient in a hospital bed.

Radiologic Services: Refresher for Hospitals on CMS Conditions of Participation

December 9, 2024

When it comes to delivering radiologic and diagnostic services under The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation, hospitals need to have policies, procedures and safe practices in place that are centered around delivery of patient services, safety of patients and personnel, qualifications of personnel and record keeping practices.