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2023 Environmental Services Department of the Year Award

Sponsored by Tork an Essity brand

The Environmental Services Department of the Year Award provides national recognition for the significant contributions made by an environmental services department to the overall patient experience and achieving a health care organization's mission.

Complete the application by responding to the following questions in entirety and submit by March 1, 2023. The award and any honorable mention(s) will be announced during the 2023 AHE Exchange Conference in Dallas, Texas July 31-August 2.

*Application must be submitted through this link. No exceptions. 

**Any additional supporting documentation submitted must be clearly labeled with the corresponding question it pertains to and sent to ahe@aha.org. 
Nominator Information

*All information provided should be exactly as you would like it to appear on an award, in media releases and on the website. Please include relevant credentials.
1.Applicant name and professional credentials:(Required.)
2.Job Title:(Required.)
3.Organization:(Required.)
4.Address:
5.City, State, Zip:
6.Phone:
7.Email:
8.AHE Member ID, if applicable:
9.Facility/Organization Name:
10.Address:
11.City, State, Zip:
12.Is this a long-term care facility?
13.Number of licensed beds:
14.Facility cleanable square footage:
15.Number of full-time equivalent employees in EVS department:
16.Is there planned new construction for this facility? Y/N
17.I attest that the information contained in this entire application form is accurate and true. I understand this submission becomes the property of AHE.
*Information provided should be exactly as you would like it to appear on an award or in publication.

**Your accomplishments must be substantiated with data to validate.
Summary of Department’s Major Accomplishments
18.Please list and describe your department’s three major accomplishments for 2022 and how did it benefit the department and your facility.
Operations/Clinical Environment of Care
19.Using externally validated data (such as Leapfrog, Press Ganey, etc.), describe your current HCAHPS scores for cleanliness compared to both state and national averages and compare against your 2021 scores?
20.Describe a major productivity improvement project during the last twelve months that specifically has addressed the value of teamwork and multi-disciplinary collaboration to improve processes. What activities have you maintained to sustain the improvement?
21.What technology or innovation does your facility use to improve efficiency? Describe the results that have been demonstrated and how they are sustained?
22.What is your department’s 2022 retention rate for full time employees compared with 2021? Describe what employee engagement programs are in place to mitigate turnover? How are they sustained?
23.Describe how the environmental services department has demonstrated and expanded its value across multiple disciplines (i.e. C-Suite, Nursing, etc.)? Provide very specific examples.
24.What specific characteristics set your environmental services department apart from other peer facilities with similar services offered?
25.Provide details and waste stream metrics for reduction and recycling initiatives deployed at your facility during 2022? Describe how this compares to 2021 providing the 2021 baseline and overall improvement percentage.
Patient Safety/Quality
26.Please provide specific examples of how the environmental services department reduced costs, improved quality, and improved outcomes. Articulate improvement against the baseline data.  Be very specific
27.What new programs have you implemented in the last twelve months to improve patient and worker safety?
28.Describe your organization's approach to ensuring EVS workers receive recommended vaccines (i.e. Influenza, Pneumonia, Hepatitis B etc.) to protect themselves and others from potential transmission of contagious infections. Has this changed from previous years?
Infection Prevention and Control
29.Using externally validated data (CDC National Healthcare Safety Network), describe how your current HAI rates (MRSA, Clostridioides difficile, etc.) are correlated to your  Environment of Care Program?
30.Describe and provide detailed examples of how environmental services technicians are integrated into the facility’s overall infection prevention and control plan?
31.Describe how your environmental service program monitors the cleaning and disinfection process and quality measurement of the cleaning and disinfection program? Data should be provided to validate your statements.
32.Describe the specific type of infection prevention and control training  the environmental services technicians receive and the frequency at which they are retrained?
33.Describe the EVS department’s involvement in the organizational infection prevention and control committee.
Additional Information
34.Is anyone in your organization a designated AHE CHEST or CSCT trainer? (T-CHEST or T-CSCT) If yes, please list their names.
35.Does your organization currently employ any CHEST or CSCT certified technicians? If so, how many or each?
36.What is your biggest pain point from working in environmental services?
37.If your application is chosen as a winner do you agree to keep the announcement confidential until notified by the AHE? Failure to agree will result in a disqualified application.
Thank you for submitting your EVS Department of the Year application.

Please submit any additional information and documentation to support your responses along with your completed application to ahe@aha.org by March 1, 2023 and confirm that your information was received.

Any additional support documentation must be clearly labeled with the corresponding question it pertains to. Please be sure all supporting documents have the facility name on it.