More Than Just a Clean Room: A New Approach to Pediatric Housekeeping

By Grant Randall, Compass Healthcare’s National Director of Consumer Experience 

For children receiving care and treatment in hospitals, creating a thoughtful and welcoming experience matters. Crothall Healthcare, the largest support services provider exclusively serving healthcare, recently launched a first-of-its-kind program at more than 30 children’s hospitals. By focusing on recurring moments, the experience program moves beyond safety to provide children and teenagers with a housekeeping experience that is cheerful, warm, and meaningful.  

A recurring moment is the sweet spot where associates can create an unforgettable experience for patients and their caregivers. By defining these moments and providing resources around recurring themes and events, Compass Healthcare equips its employees to engage their patients in meaningful ways.  

For example, one recurring theme environmental services (EVS) leaders look for is ways to engage with our hospital partners in their community. Recently at a pediatric facility in Texas, to tie into a professional golf event happening in the area, Crothall Healthcare Regional Director of Operations Mike Gorman and Crothall Healthcare Patient Experience Manager Kyle Petry decided to bring a golf experience to the children. 

Wearing a white uniform and green baseball cap—the universally recognized outfit of a golf caddie—Petry took an indoor putting green and several putters to each child’s room and invited them to sink a putt to win a prize. To add to the fun, one of the hospital’s service dogs joined in wearing a white caddie uniform. 

More than 100 children participated in the event, with parents and siblings taking plenty of photos and videos. The children were able to experience a unique event with their families and nurses, while also petting and playing with the service dog. 

How a Recurring Moment Can Create an Unforgettable Experience  

The new Pediatric Care program comes after two years of research by Compass Healthcare’s Pediatrics Council on how the company can improve the patient experience for children.  

After receiving ideas and studying best practices at more than 50 hospitals and specialty units, the council devised a strategy focused heavily on creating new ways to provide fun for children of all ages and their families. In parallel, Crothall’s sister company, Morrison Healthcare, a leader in healthcare food and nutrition services, launched a pediatric experience program with a focus on dining and special moments in foodservice. 

Key to both the environmental services and foodservice programs’ success is providing recurring moments—events like the golf experience—that help young patients feel happy and worry-free. It’s an opportunity to provide every patient and family with a housekeeping experience that is both unique and meaningful.  

For environmental services teams, these include the following: 

Birthdays: These can be celebrated by decorating a patient’s room, providing a handwritten birthday card signed by the EVS team and a treasure chest with small toys, coloring books, or other gifts. The EVS staff can also customize decorations or birthday cakes with something like a patient’s favorite cartoon character. 

Medical Milestones: We recognize the child’s accomplishment and celebrate the event with flowers or balloons, as well as a congratulatory card or note recognizing their strength. We also arrange a celebration with the EVS staff and present a certificate or treat if allowed. We may even offer a small trophy or medal as a lasting reminder of the achievement. 

Show Care for Families: Many parents stay late or overnight with their child and carry heavy emotional and physical burdens. Giving them a parent date night provides a moment of relief and connection. We will provide them with a list of quiet or scenic hospital areas or outdoor trails; prepare a scavenger hunt featuring artwork or architecture; and work with the foodservice team to offer a special celebration meal. 

The same care will be provided to siblings. We will honor them with a “Super Sibling” card or note; ensure access to playground, counseling, or sibling programs, and create a “Super Sibling” badge to honor their support. 

Daily Experiences 

While the Recurring Moments are truly special, the program also focuses on how housekeepers can bring fun and joy into their lives each day. Some of these include: 

• Wet floor signs shaped like a standing banana or autonomous floor scrubbers with cartoon characters. 

• Wrapping the housekeeper’s cart with characters. 

• Trash trucks: large containers that collect trash, wrapped in vinyl to look like the bed of a Tonka toy truck. 

We also host special events each month that engage patients beyond a housekeeper’s day-to-day interactions.  

These range from creating posters where patients, families, and staff can add encouraging notes or doodles to room makeovers that incorporate a patient’s favorite characters, colors, or sports teams. There are also storytelling hours, where volunteers or staff can read children’s books in an area with themed décor. 

The Crothall team organizes events with themed costumes like superhero capes, holiday headwear, fun hats and special events like Pirate Day, where they will dress as pirates and create a “treasure hunt,” giving patients a fun adventure to brighten their day. 

The new Pediatrics program is an opportunity for Environmental Services leaders to create an unforgettable experience during what might be one of the most difficult times in a child’s life. Providing each child with memorable day-to-day interactions and surprise events will bring them the joy and wonder every child needs.