How do you justify your existence?
I managed Laundry and EVS departments back in the day when computers were not considered necessary to run the department. As long as we had our mops and buckets, Administration figured we had what we needed.
We’ve come a long way since that time. Most (if not all) EVS departments that I go to these days have a computer….and maybe a computer on each Supervisor’s desk.
According to the AHA, there are 5747 registered hospitals in the US. In the business I am in, I often wonder how many of those hospitals utilize some type of housekeeping management software to help manage the department. We all know how much pressure there is to “do more with less”. As managers, we must be as efficient as we can. How many EVS managers can justify the number of FTEs they actually need to do the work? How many can document this for Administration? How many of you managing EVS departments know what the square footage is in your facility?
Software can help answer these questions and give validity to staffing needs. The software can be something as simple as a spreadsheet. But who has the time (with all the other responsibilities) to re-invent the wheel and develop rates, formulas and everything else that goes with it.
There are many choices out there. Technology has made tools available to us to be efficient and utilize our resources wisely.