Special report

2020 Environmental Services Departments of the Year

The annual Association for the Health Care Environment award honors top-performing hospital EVS departments
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As hospitals continue their laser focus on the patient experience, preventing infections, and sustainability and efficiency initiatives, the contribution environmental services (EVS) professionals make to health care becomes more valuable each year. 

The winners' stories

Honorable mentions

  • 250-499 beds: CaroMont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia, N.C.
  • 1-249 beds: Children's Health Plano, Plano, Texas

Judges

  • Tom Mattice, CHESP, CMIP, T-CHEST, director of environmental services, Montefiore Nyack Hospital, a member of the Montefiore Health System, Nyack, N.Y.
  • Doug Rothermel, CHESP, chief of environmental management services, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn.

SPONSORED BY

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Their day-to-day contact with patients and dedication to keeping hospitals clean have a critical impact on hospital metrics like Press Ganey patient satisfaction and HCAHPS cleanliness scores. And as health care continues to wage its battle against COVID-19, the front-line role EVS professionals play in the war on infection is more necessary than ever. 

In recognition of their valuable contribution to health care, Health Facilities Management (HFM) is once again proud to spotlight 2020 Environmental Services Department of the Year Award winners who continue to raise the bar in every area of their profession. 

Presented by the Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) and sponsored by Tork, an Essity brand, the award recognizes and celebrates best practices in cleaning and caring for the health care environment efficiently and effectively. 

This year’s awardees have demonstrated outstanding achievements in maintaining high levels of performance in cleaning, disinfection, infection prevention, environmental sustainability and stewardship, use of technology, patient satisfaction, collaboration, and education and training in critical areas.

In the pages that follow, HFM spotlights the numerous achievements of two EVS teams in two hospitals of different sizes and regions of the country. 

The EVS Department at the University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vt., continues to develop successful multidepartmental relationships with infection prevention, nursing and health and safety, improving performance in numerous areas. The department, which was awarded in the 500-plus bed category, leads the way in sustainability. And, along with a commitment to patients, department leaders focus on staff satisfaction and providing a path to career advancement for its 221 full-time employees. Strong metrics in bed turnover, patient satisfaction and cleanliness are a point of pride for the EVS department.

At Cohen Children’s Medical Center – Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, N.Y., traits like dedication and compassion for patients is ingrained in the work ethic of every member of the team who is equally committed to cleanliness and infection control — often while collaborating with other departments. Leaders of the progressive EVS department, which captured the award in the 1-249 bed category, take a hands-on role in assisting the team in daily tasks, creating an environment of true collaboration in the 90-person team. Such commitment is reflected in growing patient satisfaction metrics and healthy staff retention rates. 

Both EVS departments provide important examples to EVS leaders and other health care professionals about the importance of setting goals and working above and beyond to reach them.