New research shows that patients’ perceptions of a hospital’s cleanliness can have
a major impact on their overall care and hospital experience. Specifically, the
data show correlations between patients’ perceptions of room cleanliness and three
important categories: the risk of hospital-acquired infections; a hospital’s
score on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems
(HCAHPS) survey and scores on the HCAHPS teamwork indicators. To read the full
report, click
here.

The findings are part of a new strategic partnership between
Compass One Healthcare and Press Ganey. Compass One Healthcare is comprised of
Morrison Healthcare food and nutrition services and Crothall Healthcare support
services companies. The partnership is designed to enable Compass One to deliver
more patient-centric care experiences.

“It’s no surprise that cleanliness is an outcome that really matters to
patients and their families,” said Compass One Healthcare CEO Bobby Kutteh.
“But the research connects the importance of a hospital’s Environmental
Services team to the overall patient experience and how their performance can
affect a hospital’s brand.”

Because patients are more likely to recommend a hospital they perceive
to be clean, it makes cleanliness a target for improvement for all hospitals.

“The overall patient experience is affected by every interaction in a
patient’s health care journey, whether directly or indirectly involved in the
delivery of care,” said James Merlino, MD, President and CMO, Strategic
Consulting, Press Ganey. “How patients perceive the cleanliness of their care
environment can not only influence key drivers of patient loyalty, but also enable
the delivery of safe, high quality, and effective care through a reduced risk
of hospital acquired infections.”

According to the research, the strong correlation between patients’
perception of cleanliness and hospital-acquired infections supports the idea
that patients can judge cleanliness. This finding validates the important role
that a hospital’s Environmental Services (EVS) staff plays in patients’
evaluation of their hospital experience.

Hospitals seeking to distinguish themselves from competitors should
help EVS staff members understand how the physical environment can influence
the patient experience. The report recommends that hospital leaders and
department managers do the following:

·      
Recognize and value EVS workers as stakeholders
in the delivery of safe, effective, quality care;

·      
Consistently identify and employ evidence-based
guidance and practices in EVS to optimize the cleanliness

and perceived cleanliness of hospital rooms and common
areas;

·      
Reinforce accountability for service excellence
among the EVS staff;

·      
Foster a culture of teamwork, communication and
collaboration between the EVS staff and other care givers.