ASHES Announces New Award for Environmental Services

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Clorox Company announced today the addition of the Excellence in Safety and Quality Improvement in Environmental Services award to the prestigious line up of ASHES member recognition awards.

Sponsored by Clorox, the Excellence in Safety and Quality Improvement in Environmental Services is to recognize the significant contributions of environmental services toward preventing the transmission of infections in all healthcare practice settings. The award focuses on demonstration of excellence, innovation, advancement and best practices in operational improvements consistent with the Institute of Medicine's Six Aims for Healthcare Improvement; care that is safe, patient-centered, efficient, effective, timely and equitable.

“We are very pleased to announce this award because it demonstrates a growing recognition among healthcare providers of the critical role that ASHES members play in disease prevention” says Craig Stevenson, vice president and general manager of the Away From Home Healthcare Business at the Clorox Company.

Award nominees/applicants must clearly illustrate environmental services activities consistent with the IOM Six Aims and/or the American Hospital Association's Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence (HPOE). Accomplishments include but are not limited to demonstrating environmental services commitment to consistently providing a clean, safe patient or resident care environment; attention to patient, visitor and resident safety; leadership in advancing best practice; employment of new technologies for cleaning, disinfection and quality improvement; application of requisite knowledge through ongoing training and education; problem solving, and collaboration with infection preventionists.

“We are honored and grateful Clorox recognizes the significant role environmental services plays in providing and maintaining a safe, comfortable and quality environment for patients, residents, staff and visitors as well as the importance of on going performance improvement and pursuit of excellence and best practice” says Patti Costello, ASHES executive director.

The winning entry for the Excellence in Safety and Quality Improvement in Environmental Services will receive the award and a $1000 cash prize to be presented at the 2009 ASHES Annual Conference & Healthcare Marketplace in Reno, Nev. on Sept. 21.

For information and applications for all ASHES 2009 recognition awards, CLICK HERE.