Post by Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Congratulations to the Environmental Services team at Vanderbilt University Hospital, winner of the Vanderbilt Health Team Award at the May 2026 Leadership Forum. Over the past three years, the 300-member EVS team has driven a remarkable transformation. Room cleanliness scores exceeded goals, turnaround times improved to 59 minutes, saving thousands of bed hours, and employee retention climbed to 83%, far above the industry average. Under the leadership of Assistant Director JP Crabtree and Resident District Manager Joe Catanzaro, the team built a culture of collaboration and pride. "This was much more than an operational improvement, it was a complete cultural transformation," said Crabtree. That culture led to the creation of the EVS Patient Experience Team, led by former EVS tech Mimi Vigh-Elkins alongside Keva Griggs and Desiree Singleton-Bayless. Their work goes beyond cleaning rooms: organizing a Halloween celebration for a transplant patient, a baby social for mothers who couldn't celebrate with a traditional shower, and more than 15,000 additional patient touch points in FY25 alone. Read the full story to learn more about this award-winning team. https://bit.ly/4vyC74k