Memorial Medical Center was one of three hospitals in the nation to receive the Environmental Services Department of the Year Award from the American Hospital Association.

The nonprofit Springfield hospital was the top recipient in the 500-plus beds category. The Association for the Health Care Environment of the American Hospital Association bestows the award each year to hospitals in three categories based on size.

The award recognizes the contributions made by a hospital’s environmental services department to the overall patient experience and achieving a health care organization’s mission.

“This recognition is a reflection of the work of our excellent team. They are well trained, highly motivated and dedicated to maintaining a clean environment for the patients we serve,” said Gabe Ceperich, director of environmental services, linen distribution and grounds for Memorial Medical Center. “This award takes their behind-the-scenes work and puts it front and center.”

The hospital’s environmental services department has more than 200 employees who are responsible for cleaning approximately 2.7 million square feet each day, including the main campus and 33 offsite locations. The department is also responsible for linen distribution and ground maintenance, including snow removal.

The award evaluates departments for maintaining high levels of performance in areas including cleaning, disinfecting, infection prevention, environmental sustainability and stewardship, technology use, patient satisfaction, education and training.

The awards will be presented in September in Columbus, Ohio, at an education conference sponsored by the Association for the Healthcare Environment.

Other winners were Jane Phillips Medical Center, part of St. John Health System, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in the 1- to 249-bed category and Children’s Medical Center in Dallas in the 250- to 499-bed category.