Best Practices for Managing Environmental Services – Part II

Maintaining Quality Over Time

Ayers: A common complaint is that over time, cleaning services start to neglect minor details. How can an urgent care operator best keep its cleaning services accountable?
Regna: As the cost of labor increases, you have contractors starting to cut corners and not clean as thoroughly. Unfortunately, you have some contract providers who are not experienced in bidding or cleaning in health-care organizations. The contractor has misjudged the hours, pay rates, or requirements for training and compliance. The best way to keep the little details from becoming big issues is to do environmental rounds with the key contact from the EVS provider and to complete customer-satisfaction surveys. Make sure your contract has an out clause for poor performance; this is key to being able to switch providers if there is poor service.

– Mark Regna MBA, MHA, CHSP, CHCM

Corporate Vice President, Healthcare Services