Reducing Exposure Risk: Aligning EVS, Clinical Teams, and Policy for Safer Care Environments

Event Schedule by Time Zone: 
Pacific: 10 AM to 11 AM | Mountain: 11 AM to 12 PM | Central: 12 PM to 1 PM | Eastern: 1 PM to 2 PM

Join us for a session exploring the risks environmental services (EVS) professionals face when entering isolation rooms or caring for patients with infectious diseases. The speakers, risk management and EVS professionals, will examine the key contributing factors—especially breakdowns in communication between caregivers and EVS staff and inconsistent use of required signage—and discuss practical strategies to strengthen collaboration, improve policy adherence, and enhance staff safety.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key risks faced by environmental services (EVS) professionals when entering isolation rooms or caring for patients with infectious diseases.
2. Apply practical strategies to strengthen interdepartmental communication.
3. Describe how risk management and EVS professionals can continue to work together to increase patient safety.

Speaker:

Karen Markwith currently serves as the Northwest Region Director of Risk Management and Loss Prevention within the Common Spirit Health System. Her experience includes a prior role as National Director of Enterprise Risk Management for Catholic Health Initiatives for WA and Oregon. She also held the position of Director of Risk Services for Franciscan Health System and Director of Provider Services for Franciscan Medical Group. Ms. Markwith earned a Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola Law School in Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pacific Lutheran University. She co-authored the ASHRM 2016 Physician Office Risk Management Playbook, the Claims Management chapter for the 2017 Health Care Risk Management Fundamentals, 2025 ASHRM Medical Office Risk Management Playbook and ASHRM Implementation Workbook Disclosure Apology Resolution. Karen also chaired the ASHRM Annual Conference Committee for 2022. She has spoken at the ASHRM Conference in 2022, 2023 and 2025. An ASHRM Board Advisory Member for the term of 2023-2025 and now ASHRM president-elect for 2027. Karen is also a Washington Healthcare Risk Manager Society (WHCRMS) Western WA Trustee board member for 2024-2026.

Pamela Toppel has 20 plus years of experience in healthcare environmental services management with OSF HealthCare System. Pam started her career by cleaning offsite doctor offices, here is where she realized Environmental Services is her passion and where she can make a positive impact in patient outcomes and healthcare. During the first years with OSF HealthCare, Pam was the Director of Support Service responsible for Supply Chain, EVS and Linen. Pam is also a Six Sigma Green Belt.

Pam has served AHE for many years including AHE Board which she was honored to serve as AHE’s President in 2018 & 2019, participated in many committees & task force teams, is one of AHE’s subject matter experts, and is the 2022 Phoenix Award recipient which is the highest honor bestowed upon an AHE member.

Another passion is educating, learning, and sharing. Pam became a Master Trainer for AHE in 2016 and continues to serve passionately in this role today.

Pam has also served on the GMAHE Board as President and continues to remain involved in the Greater Midwest AHE Chapter. Pam is passionate about the Environmental Services profession and specifically the EVS Teams, she is dedicated to giving back to the profession and AHE as the #1 Association for Environmental Services. Pam resides in Illinois with her husband, has 3 wonderful adult children, 1 amazing bonus daughter, and 8 beautiful grandlovies. She is not a huge fan of winter or cold, as she prefers sun, palm trees, and the beach on Florida’s Gulf Coast and visits there often, which has earned her the nickname “The Beach Girl” by many of her peers.

Member: $0.00
Non-Member: $0.00