In a healthcare setting, cleanliness is more than a matter of aesthetics. Cleaning and disinfecting methods have a direct impact on patient health, and improper practices can expose patients and staff to significant health risks. Cleanliness also shapes the patient experience, with a visibly clean, well-maintained environment helping patients feel confident in the care they are receiving.
The global healthcare environmental services (EVS) market continues to grow quickly, projected to climb from $18.52 billion in 2025 to $20.32 billion in 2026. This growth is being driven by rising rates of hospital-acquired infections, expanding healthcare infrastructure, and increasingly stringent hygiene standards. It is occurring alongside ongoing challenges, including labor shortages and high staff turnover across the industry. For facility managers, that combination makes it more important than ever to implement EVS practices that are both effective and sustainable for staff.
The following practices can help you build a safer, cleaner, and healthier environment for your patients.
1. Conduct a Risk-Based Environmental Cleaning Assessment
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), you should develop environmental cleaning procedures for each type of patient care area based on three key elements: the probability of contamination, the vulnerability of patients, and the potential for exposure to pathogens. A thorough risk assessment for each area of your facility allows you to define the appropriate cleaning frequency, processes, and procedures needed to minimize risk and optimize safety.
Assessing and managing these risks internally can be challenging, especially when EVS teams are facing staffing constraints. Partnering with an experienced provider with deep knowledge of environmental services and healthcare facility operations, like Marsden Services, can help ensure your facility remains aligned with industry standards and best practices without adding strain to your internal team.
2. Choose the Right Cleaning Supplies, PPE, and Disinfection Methods
Facility services managers and EVS staff play a significant role in controlling the spread of infection, which starts when they choose the right personal protective equipment and healthcare-specific janitorial equipment. Beyond standard supplies, use EPA-registered disinfectants appropriate for healthcare environments and surface types, and ensure EVS teams are thoroughly trained in proper cleaning methods.
It is also important to understand what additional disinfection tools are available for higher-risk situations. Beyond standard cleaning, Marsden’s disinfecting program includes:
- Touchpoint disinfecting — targeted EPA-registered disinfection of high-contact surfaces such as door handles, push bars, elevator buttons, handrails, and light switches.
- Electrostatic spraying and fogging — electrostatic sprayers use electrical charges to help disinfectant reach difficult surfaces and fabric materials, while fogging disperses a fine disinfecting mist throughout a space.
- Negative pressure containment — self-sealing containment areas used for cleaning in spaces that cannot be evacuated, such as hospitals, helping reduce the potential for cross-contamination during disinfection.
Across the industry, advanced disinfection technologies such as UV-C light and electrostatic systems are seeing broader adoption as facilities look for ways to strengthen infection prevention efforts without significantly increasing labor requirements.
3. Provide Proper Training for Everyone Involved in Patient Care
EVS staff are not the only team members who require training. The CDC recommends EVS training for all healthcare professionals involved in patient care. Everyone should understand cleaning protocols, pathogen transmission, proper PPE use, chemical handling procedures, and infection control fundamentals, including safe sharps disposal.
Evidence-based training paths worth pursuing include the American Hospital Association’s Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional (CHESP) program, the Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician (CHEST) program, and Certified Surgical Cleaning Technician (CSCT) certification. A growing number of EVS providers are also pursuing ISSA CIMS-GB certification, which demonstrates operational rigor and a commitment to sustainable cleaning practices, an increasingly important consideration for healthcare facilities and the patients they serve.
4. Implement and Monitor Protocols That Support Compliance and Quality Outcomes
A proper monitoring system ensures that cleaning methods are working as intended. Monitoring can include checklists, direct observation, and ATP testing, which helps assess surface cleanliness by measuring residual organic material following cleaning and disinfection.
For an added layer of accountability, an industrial hygienist can review ATP results to prepare a formal clearance report, providing documented third-party verification that a space meets established cleanliness standards.
Staying current with evolving technologies, training standards, and regulatory requirements can be challenging. Partnering with an experienced environmental services provider like Marsden Services can help implement the management processes, quality assurance inspections, and training programs needed to exceed industry expectations while reducing the burden on internal teams.
Ready to strengthen your facility’s EVS program?
Contact your local Marsden representative to discuss a risk assessment and environmental services strategy tailored to your facility.
Sources
- The Business Research Company, Healthcare Environmental Services Global Market Report, 2026
- Centers for Disease Control, CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings, 2024
- Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Cleaning Procedures, 2024
- Research and Markets, United States Healthcare Environmental Services Market, 2026
