CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A developer of infection prevention systems today said he fears Environmental Services (ES) is being overlooked as America’s hospitals simultaneously scramble to cut costs and raise levels of patient satisfaction incorporating the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and scores.
“One year from today – on Nov. 1, 2012 – America’s hospitals will be learning the exact amount of their bonus payment as their CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) reward for quality based on their HCAHPS scores,” George Clarke said. “That leaves little time for hospitals to get their housekeeping in order when it comes to recognizing the role of ES in the hospital operating equation.”
Clarke is CEO of Chicago-based UMF Corporation, which develops infection prevention systems for the healthcare, hospitality and pharmaceutical markets.
“My fear is that – on two fronts – hospital management is underestimating the critical role of ES staff in patient care: first, regarding their influence on patient satisfaction and second, as the first line of defense in the battle against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs),” he said.
ES as the first line of defense vs. HAIs
Clarke said he bases his fears on a recent UMF ad-hoc survey of ES managers across the U.S., which indicates that many hospitals are taking steps to reduce the number of full time ES staff in efforts to cut costs as healthcare expenses escalate.
“ES managers polled indicated that their departments were, on average, short by 5 to 9 full time people,” Clarke said.
“This is happening in spite of hospital expansions, expanded services, increased patient admissions and shorter lengths of stay, which create more room turnover,” he said. “We heard from one ES director who told us that because of severe cuts in staff, it’s less about hygiene and more about merely emptying the trash.”
In fact, Clarke said, “trash and dash” was the term and trend often described by ES managers in conversations regarding increased demands on their departments at the recent conference of the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) held in September.
“A trash-and-dash mentality means that an ES housekeeper is responsible for so many rooms each day that they literally only have time to empty the trash,” he said. “Fewer rooms will be hygienic and safe. It remains to be seen if this situation leads to an increase in hospital-associated infections and deaths.
Ever year nearly 2 million healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) claim almost 100,000 lives.
EVS and patient satisfaction
Clarke said when it comes to improved HCAHPS scores and bonus payments from CMS, hospitals need to recognize the contributions of ES staff in helping to create the best patient experience.
“ES personnel are involved with most aspects of a hospital’s operations, touching everything from cleanliness and sanitation to family interaction and patient communication – all of which have value in the HCAHPS patient survey,” he said. “Oftentimes, patients have more interaction with housekeepers than they do with doctors and nurses.”
Clarke noted that, of the 27 HCAHPS patient survey questions, more than 25 percent are linked to communications and cleanliness.
“Now is not the time to be reducing ES staff,” he said.
UMF Corporation develops of high performance fibers and textiles including the PerfectCLEAN® Infection Prevention System.
CONTACT:
UMF Corporation
George Clarke, 847-920-0370
KEYWORDS: United States North America Illinois
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Infectious Diseases Other Health Managed Care
MEDIA:
| Logo |