The Infection Control Today® environmental services (EVS) page recognizes the team responsible for sanitation and cleaning within the health care system. EVS personnel are an integral component of infection prevention in the hospital, working closely together with the health care staff to ensure patient safety and hygiene standards. ICT® keeps a close eye on developments in the environmental services industry and reports on any peer-reviewed literature. This page also features video interviews with EVS and the professionals who interact with them.
May 5th 2025
Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.
Sustainability Solutions That Work: How to Achieve Optimal Reprocessing Results
August 9th 2011Theres no question the healthcare industry is at a critical juncture. The pressure on healthcare providers to offer value without sacrificing quality has never been greater. But for change to happen, the responsibility to find innovative solutions to reduce costs and increase quality care must be shared equally by all stakeholders, including hospital executives, staff members and suppliers. With reform imminent and budgetary pressures mounting, the time for action is now. Its no longer enough for hospitals to implement short-term solutions such as staff or service cutbacks. To reduce healthcare costs without compromising the delivery of care, hospitals must devise and execute long-term, fully integrated sustainability solutions.
Communicating the Importance of Environmental Hygiene to Healthcare Workers
July 14th 2011Numerous studies have demonstrated that contaminated environmental surfaces in healthcare facilities can contribute to the transmission of infectious pathogens and that the cleaning and disinfection of these high-touch surfaces has been suboptimal.