Celebrating EVS Week: Lessons from AHE Exchange 2026

As we celebrate Environmental Services (EVS) Week, it’s a fitting time to recognize the professionals who work behind the scenes to create safer healthcare environments. This year, I attended my first AHE Exchange and had the opportunity to speak on a Lunch and Learn panel with EVS leaders Jay Patel and Denine Temple about how collaboration between EVS, Infection Preventionists (IPs), and industry partners can strengthen workforce competency, process reliability and regulatory readiness. Beyond the technical sessions on infection prevention and control, including my colleague Doe Kley’s presentation, Hidden Key to AMR Prevention: Excellence in Cleaning & Disinfection, I was inspired by the focus on EVS empowerment, leadership and executive influence. After AHE Exchange 2026, I spoke with Infection Preventionist, Barley Chironda, and EVS leader, James “JJ” Odom, about the conference’s biggest takeaways and what they mean for the future of the profession.

Erin: You are a long-time attendee of AHE Exchange. What stood out most to you at this year's conference?

Barley: What stood out to me was the continued evolution of EVS leadership. The conversations have moved beyond cleaning processes alone. Today's EVS leaders are focused on building teams, developing future leaders, improving retention and demonstrating value at the executive level. There was a strong emphasis on elevating EVS as a strategic function that directly impacts patient safety and organizational success.

JJ: I agree. The profession continues to mature. Leaders are being asked to balance workforce challenges, operational excellence, and patient safety at the same time. The goal of AHE is to provide education, resources and support EVS leaders so they are prepared to face these challenges. Our role is to help leaders not only understand the issues facing our profession but also give them the tools and knowledge to confidently address them and lead their teams forward. The sessions at this year’s Exchange were filled with practical strategies for helping teams succeed despite increasing demands on healthcare systems.

Erin: Infection prevention remains at the heart of healthcare EVS. How was that reflected at AHE?

Barley: Infection prevention continues to be the foundation of everything we do. Regulation often places infection prevention at the center, but reliable execution puts EVS right beside them. The AHE Conference reinforced that IPs help interpret evidence and regulatory expectations, and EVS translates them into daily frontline practice. Patient safety requires that partnership every day, not just when a surveyor arrives.

JJ: One message I heard repeatedly was that products are only part of the solution. Success comes from building systems that help staff consistently perform the right process the right way, every time. That's where leadership and education become critical.

Erin: Looking ahead, what advice would you give to someone stepping into an EVS leadership role for the first time?

JJ: Listen first. Before you can lead the work, you have to understand the work. And before you can lead your people, you have to know your people. Spend time on the floors, understand the real day-to-day work your team is doing, and build relationships before you build processes. The best leaders in EVS are the ones who never lose touch with the frontline. Your credibility comes from knowing the work and knowing your people.

Barley: Start by listening to the people closest to the work, people support what they help build. Stay teachable, understand frontline realities, and make the best process the easy process. Build strong partnerships with Infection Prevention, Nursing, Quality and Finance early. Your technical expertise earns credibility, but relationships, visible follow-through, and the ability to translate EVS value into executive language create influence.

Erin: In honor of EVS Week, what would you like healthcare teams to remember about EVS professionals?

Barley: Behind every clean, safe space is an EVS professional whose skill and dedication make healing possible. They protect people and bring compassion to patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. To every EVS professional: thank you, patients are safer because you showed up. EVS Week is a time to celebrate you, but your expertise, voice, and value deserve recognition every day.

JJ: EVS professionals make a difference that extends far beyond cleanliness. They help prevent infections, support patient confidence, contribute to operational efficiency, and create healing environments. Their impact is felt every day, even when it isn't always visible. And even though EVS week will end, the work we do is never-ending!

Final Thoughts

The conversations at AHE Exchange 2026 reinforced a simple truth: healthcare's future depends on empowered teams, smart innovation and unwavering commitment to patient safety. As we celebrate EVS Week, let's continue to recognize the EVS professionals whose dedication makes safer care possible every day.

To every EVS professional: Thank you for all that you do and Happy EVS Week!