Environmental Services Huddle

Dear Colleagues,

I have attended a number of huddles over the last several years, but they have mostly been on nursing units. The Environmental Services department huddles take place in the ground floor of the Clinical Support and Education Building, commonly referred to as the CS&E building.

I was greeted by Tisha Parsons, the director of Environmental Services and Telecommunications, and Sonia Perkins, the manager of Environmental Services. I was very impressed that the Environmental Services huddle is much like a nursing floor inpatient huddle. Announcement are made (including birthdays and work anniversaries), assignments are given, and potential challenges in certain areas of MU Health Care are highlighted.

It is a privilege to meet the teams who keep our health system running, like our Environmental Services department.

Our Environmental Services team makes a major impact on our health system. In just 12 months, the department cleaned 64,950 discharge or transfer rooms. They average 5,400 discharge room cleanings a month, which does not include cleaning more than 300 occupied rooms each day. The Linen and Sewing team is a crucial part of Environmental Services, and the team sends an astounding 2,479,359 pounds of laundry to be processed annually.

I am pictured here with Tisha Parsons, the director of Environmental Services and Telecommunications.

Like nursing huddles, the meeting was efficient and fast. It was great to say a few words to the team and emphasize how their work is absolutely essential to our mission to save and improve lives. I am very appreciative of the team, as well as all our health care providers at MU Health Care. At the end of the huddle, the team joined a group cheer: “Together we care, deliver, innovate and serve!” How lovely and what a great way to kick off 2024.

Sincerely,